Earth Fire
by crouchingbunny
Summary: Tatiana is an overworked Earthbender who goes to the market to rest from all of the rockslides, when she is in a shop she helps Katara and Sokka get away from Zuko and his crew. While Sokka and Katara are staying with her another rockslide happens, she mu
1. Prologue

This is set in the Avatar the Last Airbender show, when Zuko is hunting Aang.

Tatiana (Tati) is an overworked earth bender who gets captured by Prince Zuko because he thinks she's had dealing with the Avatar. Tatiana's village has been having bad luck with rock slides for the past few weeks and she has been called to help with smashed houses and barns at all hours of the day and night. She is being dragged along with the Fire Benders after the Avatar for reasons unknown. Tatiana begins to worry about her village when news of a large rock slide and a band of Fire nation deserters rampaging and ravaging across the Earth nation's lands comes back with the scouts.

Will Zuko let her go in time to save her village and family, or will she be delivered to the Fire Lord for further questioning? Only time will tell... NOT A ZUKO/OC!

* * *

"Just a little more Tati!" cried a short small girl to the struggling earth bender. Tatiana could feel beads of sweat developing on her face as she struggled to maintain her pose. The tips of her fingers trembled as she drew them slowly up and over her head, guiding a great boulder off of the roof of a small hut. Her long mud brown hair swinging halfway down her back from her ponytail. 

"Come on Tati!" cried the girl as the great boulder came crashing down too the ground ten feet from the crushed remains of the hut. Tatiana gasped as the enormous weight was lifted from her shoulders.

She sighed and sat down hard on the ground, she was beginning to tire from all of the extra work. Her usually shocking green eyes were getting dark circles under them. It wasn't like she was the only earth bender in the village, Shiomi was still young. Only she had three children… and Hisha was too old to climb a boulder much less move it.

"Ani give me drink!" she said to the short girl beside her. Ani thrust a small flask into the tired and dehydrated earth bender's hand. Tatiana drained the flask in three gulps and stood up. Ani turned to greet the tall thin woman coming towards them.

"She's done Aunt Lidda,"Ani said.

"Thank you Tati, here," said Lidda as she handed her a pouch of money.

"I couldn't-" she began.

"Of course you could, I know that not everyone pays you. But we can, and we will. You deserve it. Now go too the market and get something nice for yourself. A girl your age should be flirting with the boys trying to find a husband instead of working for a bunch of free loaders," she said in a dismissive manner that forbade any argument. Tatiana took the purse and said goodbye to Ani.

(Reviews are appreciated!-crouchingbunny)


	2. Four Silver Pieces

Tatiana walked through the market looking for a decent enough looking shop or stand. She would have to make this quick, she thought as she eyed the gathering clouds with a little foreboding.

Several dresses hung on rails in a large stand. An old crone with missing teeth, those that were still in her mouth were blackened jumped out at her from behind a wall, her long grey and white hair was kept out of her face by a shockingly bright green bandana.

"Hello young one," she said with a hoarse cackle.

"Hello," said Tatiana as she walked in behind the old woman.

"I have just the thing for you! My grand daughter just finished it this morning, and it will go beautifully with those green lamps in your eyes," she said cackling every time she ended a sentence. Tatiana smiled as the woman grabbed a beautiful dress with a dark green skirt and a black bodice with a light green top whose sleeves looked like they would fall down too her elbows off of a counter. It _was_ lovely, and would go nicely with her eyes. But she could never afford it.

"Don't worry about the cost young one, I think we can strike a bargain if we haggle," the old crone said leaning against the counter and looking outside the shop at something. Tatiana turned with the dress, hugging it close to her frame and looking at the reflection of herself in a mirror hanging on the wall.

"How much is it?" she asked. The dress matched her perfectly and looked exactly the right size. The old crone cackled and turned back too Tatiana, her blue eyes bright in the lines of her face.

"Seven silver pieces my dear, but I will settle for four if you will do some bending for the sake of an old heart," she said a sad gleam in her eyes. Four silver pieces? That was practically as if the woman were giving it to her. She looked at the dress.

"I'll take it," she said and opened her small purse. She had added in her own savings of the last week with it. A total of seventeen silver pieces, three gold pieces and twenty four copper pieces. She would still have enough to live on, she would have had even more if she had refused on doing things for free. But most of the villagers were too poor to pay her, or they just gave her food.

Tatiana yanked out four silver pieces and dropped them into the old woman's outstretched hand. She began to walk out of the shop eager to get home and try on her new dress.

"Wait!" said the old crone as she grabbed her shoulder with surprising strength in her old grasp. "There is the small task of bending for you to do for me before you leave," said the old woman grinning her ghastly smile. Tatiana smiled back.

"Yes, I'm sorry it's just that the dress is so beautiful," she said, "what did you have in mind?" she asked setting the dress on the counter. Thunder threatened in the background and she winced. She had been afraid of storms since she was small.

"Just a little spell for my garden," she said as she folded and wrapped the dress in some brown paper. "It's water proof so you don't half to worry about it getting wet," she said. "For seven silver pieces it's going to be gift wrapped, and more so for the favor." The old woman cackled again.

"RUN AANG!" yelled a voice from outside of the shop.

"What in the-" said the old woman as a boy of about fifteen flew into the shop carrying a dangerous looking boomerang.

"Hurry Katara!" he said as he held the door open for a blue-eyed girl with a long dark braid hanging down her back.

"Sokka hurry and shut the door!" she said.

"What on earth are you doing in my shop!" yelled the old woman advancing on the boy called Sokka with a thick roll of paper. She hit him over the head with it with a loud smack.

"Ow!" yelled Sokka.

"Shhh!" said the girl called Katara as she clamped a hand over Sokka's mouth. "Please mam, we have to hide from the fire benders! They're after our friend and he can't get away with us slowing him down. Please let us stay!" she pleaded taking her hand off of Sokka's mouth.

"Ha! You are not staying here! I already have enough trouble with the fire benders, if you stay here that is just an invitation for trouble! Now get out!" she said waving the roll of paper in the air as she spoke.

"Wait!" said Tatiana as she stepped between the roll of paper and Sokka, intervening before the old crone could hit the boy again. "They can stay with me for the time being," she said. The old crone eyed her with contempt.

"What about my garden?" she asked wryly.

"I promise that I will do it for you tomorrow," she said offering her hand to seal the agreement. The crone scowled but took the offered hand and shook.

"See that you are! Or you'll regret it!" she said. Tatiana nodded and looked over at her two temporary refugees. The boy looked about her age, but the girl looked younger. Both looked frightened. She looked out the window and saw red fire bender armor passing by.

"Search every shop! Do not let them escape!" cried a voice as more fire benders passed by. She looked worriedly at the owner of the shop.

"Fah! This way to the back door," she said throwing up her hands and motioning toward the back where a large black curtain drug the floor. Sokka and Katara raced ahead of her and threw back the black curtain, a large old door stood behind it. Sokka opened it slowly and peered out, the street was deserted.

"Come on!" he hissed and jumped out the door followed by Katara and Tatiana. Sokka closed the door behind her and she heard it lock.

"This way," she said and walked behind more buildings. A hill was behind the east side of the market and if they got over it then it was a short run through the forest too her home. Tatiana led the way up the hill hearing Sokka and Katara following behind her.

She turned to see if anyone were watching. An old man was watching them from a second story window in a building. "Hurry, someone is watching," she said as they topped the hill and disappeared over the side.

* * *

"Thank you for helping us," said Katara as they raced through the woods.

"Don't mention it. I hear that it is good luck too help frantic strangers." she said grinning. She saw Katara's eyes grow suspicious. "Actually anything to spite the fire nation. They have been patrolling our village for years now," she said thinking of the land slides. "And refusing to clean up their messes," she added gritting her teeth.

"How much further?" asked Sokka panting by her elbow. The sky rumbled above them. Tatiana jumped.

"Not far," she said.

"Good… we've been running for almost half an hour," he said holding his side. She looked down at him smiling. He would have been a tall, maybe taller than was if he would have been standing straight. He had really beautiful eyes, they reminded her of the river. Tatiana looked away realizing that she had been staring at him.

A few minutes later they arrived at her home, well it was what she called a home. It looked like an abandoned barn in the middle of the forest. It still had a well outside of the barn, but it was obviously old although not in disrepair. The wood was faded in the shady light, but it was what she called home.

"This is it," she said as she walked out of the protection of the trees and into the clearing. Sokka and Katara followed behind her into the shelter as it started to rain.

* * *

"So, who is this friend that you both get into so much trouble with the fire benders for?" she asked as she dished out the soup that Rani had gave her for moving rocks off of his roof, Katara and Sokka glanced at each other.

"Aang… he's special," said Katara.

"I understand. Just don't be mad at the people of this village if they give information that gets you caught. Sometimes it can mean your life if you are on good terms with the Fire nation," she said knowing their worry.

"Aang is-" Sokka began, Katara clamped a hand over his mouth and gave him a stern look. He glared at her over her hand.

"Sokka and I need to talk Tatiana," she said.

"Of course," she said. She frowned as they passed her, she couldn't help but feel a little hurt that Katara still didn't trust her, although it seemed that Sokka did. They retreated too the back of the barn, just beyond earshot. She could hear a few words from Sokka, and a muffled shout at him from Katara but other than that she couldn't have possibly pieced the conversation together. She decided to eat her soup. It was wonderful, like anything that Rani made. After a few minutes they came back.

"Our friend Aang… he's the Avatar," said Katara.

"What?" she said. Obviously this was some kind of joke.

"No, he really is," said Sokka seeing the disbelief on her face.

"No, I understand," she said.

"He really is the Avatar!" Katara said.

"The Avatar died a hundred years ago," she said beginning to get angry that they weren't telling her the truth.

"No he didn't!" said Katara. Tatiana raised an eyebrow. "He was in an ice burg for a century, Sokka and I found him when it thawed out!" she said. Tatiana looked at Katara, her eyes were lighter than Sokka's. For some reason she believed that she wasn't lying.

"That makes you from the water nation," she stated.

"More like the Water tribes," Sokka murmured. Tatiana directed her attention too him. "There is no Water Nation anymore. The Fire Nation has drove us apart, not that if we came together we would be a rival. All of our men are fighting with them in the Earth Nation," he said. "Except me," he mumbled a split second later.

"The Fire Nation killed our mother," Katara said, "I did have a necklace to remember her by, but the Fire Nation took that too." Tears welled up in Katara's eyes and she looked away from the small fire. Sokka's eyes remained hard as he gazed into the fire, it was an odd sight to see the fire reflected in such icy blue.

"It seems that we have all felt the sting of Fire," she said looking outside as the rain pelted down. Katara looked at her although Sokka kept staring into the fire. "My father and brother were fighting for the Earth Kingdom, I haven't heard from them in more than a year. And my mother died during a rockslide three years ago," she said. The fact no longer made her sad. She had cried that well dry a long time ago even though she still thought about it everyday. She often told herself that to forget was to forgive, and she was still very far from forgiving, or forgetting.

An awkward silence stretched out in which no one even made the loudest hint of a breath.

Tatiana finally fell asleep on her blankets.

"I don't think that you should have told her about Mom," Sokka finally said after he was sure that Tatiana was asleep.

"Why not, Sokka?" Katara said yawning.

He hesitated, "It made her remember," he finally said.

"Every time I see a fire bender or smell bread cooking... I remember," she said. Sokka glanced at her. "Almost everything reminds me of her, doesn't it make you?" she asked.

"Yeah," he said.

"Then don't you think that she understands?" she put her hand on Sokka's shoulder. "Aang doesn't understand because he never knew his parents," she said. Sokka looked back at her.

"Let's go to sleep. We have to find Aang tomorrow," she said before settling into the borrowed blankets. Sokka looked down at his sister before he settled into his own blankets.

"Katara?" he asked quietly. For a second he thought she was asleep.

"Hmm?" she murmured.

"I love you," he said. That was they first time they had ever really talked, and he hadn't told her he loved her since before their mother had passed away.

"I love you too," she said.

(A/N: _Yes, some fluff and a warm moment. But I don't think that Katara and Sokka act like siblings enough. They act more like cousins in the show, so I thought that I would put in a brother/sister moment because I thought they needed it. -crouchingbunny_)


	3. Comb of Silver

CRASH! CRASH! CRASH! Tatiana woke with a start and sat up in her covers as the blinding white flash faded. The fire had died down to its last embers. It wasn't remotely cold, although it was damp. She shivered as the lightning came again. Sokka and Katara were sleeping soundly in the covers that she had let them borrow.

Tatiana pushed her covers back and tiptoed to the back of her 'house' where she kept spare firewood. It was still late and she didn't want to wake Sokka or Katara. _Thank goodness their here, I probably would have been scared to death if I had to go through this storm alone_, she thought.

Tatiana grabbed three logs and set them in the dying embers of the fire. The logs caught fire and the flames danced circles around the blackened bark. The flames reflected in her eyes along with another lightning strike in the rainy background.

"Ehm…" she heard Sokka murmur in his sleep. She looked his way and he rolled over where his face was too hers, she glanced away. It wouldn't be pleasant for him or for her for Sokka to wake up and see her staring at him. Tatiana fed the last log to the regenerated fire and curled up in her blankets to try and go too sleep.

* * *

"Sokka get up!" Katara said as she shook him. Sokka opened his eyes to see Katara's face in his, overlarge because of the closeness of it. 

"AH!" he yelled as he scooted backwards in the blankets. The sun wasn't out and it looked like it wasn't going to come out from behind the smoky grey blue clouds that covered the sky. Rain still drizzled lazily from the barn's overhanging.

"We have to go look for Aang! He's still out there!" she said, her eyes filled with worry.

"Aang's fine. He probably found shelter just like us, don't worry Katara," he said wishing he could go back to sleep. He rarely got to sleep in.

"But what if he didn't Sokka?"

"Trust me, he did. And anyway we couldn't find him if he was hiding. He'll be looking for us before we find him," he said before turning back over.

"Sokka!" she said shaking him again.

"What?"

"We can't just stay here forever! Every second that we stay here is another second that Tatiana is in danger. Do you want us to repay her by getting her in trouble with the Fire nation?"

"No…" he said sitting up and putting his boomerang in its sheath.

"Then we need to leave now before she can get up and ask us where we're going," said Katara as she folded up Sokka's blanket.

"Right… where exactly are we going?" he asked.

"To look for Aang! Now be quiet or she'll wake up."

"What if we can't find him?"

"Then we'll have to come back here and ask to stay another night," Katara said and put his folded up blanket on top of hers.

"Wait, where _is _Tatiana?" he asked. Her blankets were piled up on each other making it look like someone was still laying in them.

"What?" said Katara glancing at the blankets.

"She's not there," he said simply.

"Where is she?" she asked.

"I think I might know," said a voice from the doorway.

* * *

Tatiana woke up again. There had been another landslide, she could feel it in the ground. Tatiana decided not to wake Sokka or Katara so she pushed her blankets off and got up. The fire was still burning rather well so she gave it no thought. 

She walked to the barn door and opened it. It was still dark and raining outside, but the lightning and thunder had ceased. Tatiana walked towards the shelter of the trees, the path was muddied and slippery. She put a hand on one of the passing trees and felt for the location of the landslide… _Briar Hill…_ _Ani's house_! She thought and raced through the forest ignoring the path and taking every short cut that she knew.

The trees whipped past her vision and she stumbled a few times on either mud or tree roots. _Please be okay Ani… please be okay…_time didn't seem real as she ran towards the small village Briar Hill. Ani's family had let her live with them after her mother had passed away. They often gave her food when she was short, and extra blankets. They had been like a second family too her. She had only left when she felt that she had intruded on their hospitality long enough. She couldn't keep living at her old home, it had been crushed during the land slide. Tears slipped out of the corners of her eyes as she thought of the same thing happening to Ani as it had hers.

The sign that marked Briar hill was in front of her before she knew it. Tatiana looked around at the surrounding houses. Rocks and boulders were strewn around the homes. Most had rocks lodged in the roofs of their homes. Several of the occupants were outside.

"Tatiana, did Eio find you?" asked Eram as he approached her. Eram was a farmer a little older than her that lived with his mother and his twin brother and sister.

"No, I sensed a landslide. Is anyone hurt?" she asked looking worriedly at all of the ruined homes.

"I don't think so, just the houses," he said observing the damage inflicted on his own roof.

"Good, is Shiomi here yet?" she asked stretching her arms.

"No, just Hisha," she looked quizzically at him. "Over there, see for yourself. Eio ran to get you and Shiomi." She looked over and saw Hisha moving some smaller rocks from the tops of houses.

"Shiomi has probably already sensed it and is on her way," she said to calm him, "I should help Hisha," she said and walked over to where Hisha was struggling with a heavy rock. She struck the moving rock pose, her feet spread apart and her arms palms out in front of her. The rock slowly began to tremble. She raised her hands up and over her head and began to make a pile of boulders behind Eram's house.

"Thank goodness, Tati is here!" cried Mistress Kiosh as she saw Tati. She raised her arms in praise and jogged over. "Did Shiomi come with you?"

"No, but she should be here," she said as she started to work with the boulder that had crushed a wagon.

Shiomi arrived shortly after with Eio on her heels.

"Shiomi, where have you been?" asked Mistress Kiosh upon Shiomi's arrival.

"I had to take care of Ari and Dema, but Seta is taking care of them now," said the tired looking Shiomi. Tatiana gritted her teeth with contempt. Even though she did more work than Shiomi, Shiomi still managed to take the credit for everything. And the better part of the pay.

"It's quite all right now, I took care of everything," Tatiana said. Shiomi surveyed her work. It had been a relatively small slide although it had still caused damage.

"Yes, but what are we going to do about that pile of rocks. Tati you go home and get some rest. I'll take it from here," Shiomi said. Tatiana gritted her teeth again. It always ended like this, she would do all of the bending and Shiomi would stay after and help clean up. Of course everyone liked Shiomi better than her, Shiomi had three kids, a husband fighting the fire nation in Omashu, and she was older. No matter what she did, she was still only fifteen and had limited experience compared to Shiomi.

Tatiana waved too Shiomi and walked back towards the forest. A hand caught her shoulder and she spun around. It was only Eram.

"Thank you Tatiana. I know they don't give you enough credit, I have eyes and ears. But you deserve it, here," he held out a silver comb. Her eyes shone with gratitude.

"You're welcome Eram," she said as she lifted the comb from his outstretched hand. It had a crane standing on one leg shaped into the handle with lilies floating around the crane. "It's beautiful," she said as she moved her fingers over the handle.

"Thanks, I bought it on Trade Day," he said. After a short silence he put his hand on the back of his neck and smiled, "You really do deserve it, I know that not everyone pays you. I hope this makes up for it," he said. Tatiana smiled back at Eram and hugged him around the neck. At first Eram hesitated then wrapped his arms around her and hugged her back.

Well it hasn't been a total loss of a night, she thought as she waved goodbye too Eram and walked into the trees. Ani and her family were gone to see her grandparents in Greenbrooke, and Eram had given her a very beautiful comb for her troubles. And she had gotten a hug from Eram, she sighed her heart fluttering.

The sky still hadn't cleared and probably wouldn't all day. She could smell another rain coming on the wind. Tatiana took her time getting back too her barn, holding the comb in her hand and running her fingers over it casually admiring the silky feel of it in her palm. She could see the barn through the trees up ahead, the sight of it made her thoughts slow. The sky was still dark and cloudy, and there was no sign of the sun. _Katara and Sokka would probably be up by now or would be looking for their friend Aang_, she thought.

A flash of red armor caught her eye and she froze. _Fire bend- _a hand clapped over her mouth and a blind fold was secured around her head interrupted her thoughts before she had time to breath. A pair of strong arms pulled her backward into someone's mysterious embrace.

"Don't move," said a dark voice in her ear. She shivered involuntarily as the wind of his breath entered her ear. Heat was coming off of the Fire bender's hands, his left arm was around her stomach and his other arm was clamped on her right arm. "That's right sweetheart, be still," he said again.

Tatiana was carried for a few minutes and then dropped on the ground. She could feel heat coming from a fire nearby. The Fire bender who had captured her was talking with another Fire bender.

"I have a hostage Commander," she heard her capturer say. There was some muttered talk.

"-the main tent."

She strained to see below the blindfold, but it was expertly tied around her head. She suffered through the intolerable red of the cloth until her captor's hand closed around upper arm and lifted her too her feet.

"This way," he said as he lead her in front of him. One of his hands was on the nape of her neck the other was clamped on the upper part of her left arm. "Don't try anything reckless unless you want all of this pretty hair of yours singed off," he said into her ear.

"I don't plan on it," she whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear. She heard him laugh behind her as his hand around her arm tightened, although it wasn't painful. Tatiana assumed that they didn't know she was an Earth bender yet. _Good, _she thought, she couldn't wait to bury them all under a landslide.

After a time they stopped. "I have a hostage that might interest his 'Highness,'" said her captor. There was a pause and then she was led forward into more heat. Tatiana was dropped on her knees too the floor again.

"What is the meaning of this disturbance?" said another voice, it sounded angry.

"Please, Prince Zuko hear the man out," said another voice, this one sounded more kind.

"Alright. What is it?" said the angry voice again.

"I found this one lurking in the trees. Apparently going to the Earth bender's home," there was a pause, "Where the old man said he saw the two Water tribe brats go." There was another pause.

"Leave her," said the voice, although it didn't sound angry any more.

"Yes, sir," said her captor and she felt a draft at her back. Tatiana stiffened as she felt someone's hands on the back of her head. She shielded her eyes with her hands as her blindfold fell off and a roaring fire pierced her eyes. She gasped and wiped at them as she bent over on her knees. A hand on her arm helped her up, heat came from this pair of hands too. She still wasn't safe.

"Leave us Uncle," said the person behind her. The hand disappeared from her shoulder and she looked up wiping at her eyes, the stinging was finally gone. A short older man balding on the top walked passed with his arms hidden inside of his sleeves.

She was led past the fire into a room where the Fire Nation flag was embroidered on the tents crimson walls. Tatiana saw a desk with a stack of papers on it and another rug embroidered with the Fire Nation's emblem.

"What were you doing at the Earth bender's home?" came the voice. Tatiana turned to face the man behind her. A helmet obscured his face but she could clearly see into his golden eyes. "There was a landslide, I had to go and get her," she said staring into his eyes, he smirked.

"You lie," he said, she looked away.

"Prince Zuko, the Avatar has been spotted flying towards the ocean!" yelled a Fire Bender troop as he ran into the tent. Prince Zuko looked away from her to the newly arrived Fire bender.

"Leave everything and board the ship," he said.

"Yes sir. What do you want us to do with her?" said the Fire bender pointing at her.

"Bring her," he said and walked out.

"Yes sir," said the troop.

(Yes, a little longer of a chapter. I hope you like it better than my last chapter. More to come soon!-crouching bunny.)


	4. Imprisoned

After Zuko left the tent the Fire bender and Tatiana were left alone. It was an almost awkward silence as they stared each other down, although the fire bender's helmet covered his face Tatiana could still make out his black eyes. She crossed her arms in front of her chest and made a face. She had no reason to let this lone fire bender take her to a place that she didn't even want to go.

The fire bender seemed to have gotten over the awkwardness of the moment and taken his orders to heart. Maybe it was also the look in Tatiana's face that clearly stated, 'make me because otherwise I'm not going.'

"Alright Miss, I have a certain sense of honor about hitting ladies. So don't make me do anything that I'll later regret," he said. Tatiana raised an eyebrow in mock surprise.

"I wasn't aware that fire benders had any sense of honor," she said smirking.

"We're not all bad, as you may or may not find out," he said as he took a step towards her. Tatiana took a step back, she couldn't do any earth bending in a tent without harming herself. She looked up at the fire bender who had stopped, she could wait him out, as long as he didn't tie her hands behind her back.

Tatiana sighed and hung her head, looking for all of the world like the resigned prisoner who knew there was no escape. The fire bender made a faint gesture of relief. She smiled inwardly as he bade her to come after him. Her inward smile faded as she made to walk past him and her hands were ceased and tied behind her. She was just as helpless as before. She made a brief pouting noise.

"You didn't honestly think that we would let you run about with your hands free did you?" he asked.

She shook her head smiling, "I just thought you would be nice enough to let me go home. I don't know anything more about the Avatar than what you do," she said keeping her eyes peeled for another opportunity to escape. _Surely the Avatar would not leave his friends behind? _She thought. Unless of course Sokka and Katara had already found their friend Aang. Tatiana sighed again.

"Then how do you know that the Avatar is alive?" he asked as he pushed her ahead of him.

"I didn't until you came in and shouted that the Avatar was flying north, or south. I can't remember that well," she stated as they rounded a bend of the river and a large black navy ship met them.

"Sensible of you to believe the shouts of a strange enemy," he said.

"Well otherwise that is a lot of fuss to be made for nothing," she said back, her hopes for escaping sifting away like sand in the river beside them. A narrow escape was no longer an option, and her secret weapon was no longer a weapon, she thought as they boarded the ship, her head hung downward and pieces of stray hair concealed her face. A sick feeling was beginning to develop in the pit of her stomach.

* * *

"Come on Katara we have to escape! Help me out here!" he said as he tried desperately to see out of a window that was at least four feet above his head by standing on an empty crate.

"Aang will save us," she said with conviction. Sokka turned to face her as he jumped off of his crate. She was sitting cross-legged in a meditating pose. Katara was such a sadist whenever they got into trouble, and now was no different.

"Yeah, but who is going to save Aang?" he asked as he sat down on the wooden floor. The ship creaked as he sat and he looked angrily at the tall black iron walls surrounding him.

The door above opened and another person was thrown into the brig with them. Sokka now more than ever wished that he could air bend his way up too the door. Ever since the fire benders had caught him and him he had been urging to get back at them.

"Tatiana!" Katara exclaimed as the person lifted herself up off of her knees. Sokka jerked his head toward the other person.

"Katara? Sokka? What are you doing here?" she said as she lifted herself into a crouching position off of the floor.

"The fire benders caught us… well we were still at the barn fixing to leave wondering where you were at when they came and… caught us," said Sokka.

"Where did you go anyway?" asked Katara. "We were up till now thinking that you had um… ratted us out," she said. Tatiana was slightly crushed at them thinking that of her. _Well they knew you a grand total of five hours. Not five years, _she thought angrily at herself.

"There was another land slide and I went to help. I decided not to wake you because it was so early," she said ignoring Sokka's glance.

"You should have woke us, we could have helped," said Sokka. Tatiana felt her insides quiver as she thought of it.

"Well it's water under the bridge now," said Katara seeing Tatiana's look. "It can't be helped. Besides you were thinking of us," she added glaring at Sokka. The ship started moving fast. Tatiana grabbed on to the floor to keep from sliding into Katara. Sokka grabbed at the crate and flipped miserably over while Katara grabbed a set of shackles that were attached too the wall.

After the initial process of getting the boat moving and nearly smashing them all into the wall was over Katara got up and rushed too Sokka's aid although a slight smiled played on her lips as she made to help him up. Tatiana stayed on the floor in fright. What if there was a storm and she was still on this boat? Her stomach almost rejected the soup that she had eaten the night before at the thought.

Sokka sat up rubbing his head and waved Katara away. He had forgotten how much he hated Fire Nation ships… although now he had a new reason to dislike them. Katara put her hands on her hips and walked back too Tatiana and sat down.

Tatiana grimaced as she imagined the ship being tossed about on the waves, lightning striking in the background. Her lip quivered and she fought the urge to bury her face in her hands and cry at the thought of a storm at sea. _Stop being a baby, Katara and Sokka will think that you are crazy or something. _She thought too herself and looked over at Sokka. He was sitting up in front of the crate rubbing his head.

"So what about the escape plan?" she asked after Sokka got his bearings back.

"Well…" he said noticing that she was a little green and shaking.

"Sokka means to say that he hasn't even figured out where to use the bathroom much less how to escape," said Katara grinning at Sokka. Sokka glared back at her. "Don't worry, Aang will get us out of here," she said.

Tatiana nodded, even though she wasn't so sure how anyone besides a fire bender could get them out of here.

(Yes, I know short chapter, but the next will be longer! So next chapter: Escape or Not too Escape? That is the predicament. Yes I know I am evil for not allowing them a place to use the bathroom. -crouching bunny.)


	5. Of Sacks and Combs

"Uncle, I don't know what to do," said Prince Zuko pacing in his room in front of the fire, his uncle Iroh was sitting at a small round table with a half finished game of Pai Cho.

"Perhaps the answer lies without instead of within," said Iroh as he stroked his beard and moved another piece forward, Zuko turned around.

"What is that supposed to mean, Uncle?" he asked as he sat down in front of his uncle. Iroh took a drink of tea.

"You are thinking too hard Prince Zuko. Take a rest and the answer will come to you. Perhaps a game of Pai Cho will suffice to keep your mind off of the task at hand?" he said.

"Uncle, my throne is already on the line. The sooner I deliver the Avatar to the Fire Lord, the sooner things get back to normal," he said as he studied the game board.

"But do you want things to get back to normal Prince Zuko?" he asked as he studied his nephew. Zuko moved a piece diagonally and looked up.

"Of course or I wouldn't have spent the last two years searching for the Avatar without aid," he said. Iroh studied his nephew through lowered eyelashes. _He is getting more complicated every day, _he thought and once again studied the game board.

* * *

"Sokka sit down!" said Katara as Sokka strode passed her for the thousandth time. Sokka spun around. 

"And do what sit here and wait? No thanks," he said and began pacing again. Katara shrugged and started to meditate again. Tatiana had long since went to sleep. Sokka surveyed the sleeping girl through his eyelashes, she was prettier than Suki, much prettier. And he really didn't like the fact that Suki could almost beat him at hand to hand combat. He shook his head to clear it and looked at the walls again. The objective of the moment was to get himself, Katara and… Tatiana to safety. And getting misty eyed over a girl that he had only known a little more than a day wasn't going to get him out of the brig and off of the fire navy ship any sooner.

He jumped as Tatiana turned over, her back was too him now. He sighed wishing that the fire benders hadn't taken his boomerang now he couldn't even polish it. He linked his fingers together in his lap as he sat on his crate and let his head drag down with fatigue.

* * *

Tatiana snapped awake as she heard the door too the brig open, she stayed laying down but watched through lidded eyes as the brig door was opened and a bucket was thrown in. As soon as the door was closed she sat up and crawled over too the bucket. She hesitated and looked at Sokka and Katara. Sokka was hunched over on his crate and Katara lay slightly curled on the floor. She shrugged and looked into the bucket, it looked like it belonged in the rubbish with it's handle nearly torn off. A knotted sack was stuffed into the bottom of it. Tatiana looked back at Sokka who was snoring slightly._ He would want me to wake him up, _she thought. 

Her fingers hesitated as she fumbled with the knot in the sack. The contents of the sack weren't very heavy and she could feel something round and hard, and something soft. She sighed and tried to rip the sack with her fingernails.

"What are you doing?" said Sokka from behind her back. She turned around and held the sack up to him, he stared at it. "Where did that come from?" he asked and he took it.

"Someone just threw it down here," she said. "I didn't want to wake you in case it was nothing," she said in answer to his questioning glance. He tried to open it.

"I can't open it. Do you have a knife or anything?" he asked.

"No," she said for the first time wishing that she carried a weapon. She had never really needed one because of her earth bending skills. But now that she wasn't anywhere near earth that she could use she felt helpless. She sighed and fumbled with the folds of her skirt.

"Oh," he looked over at Katara and sighed. "Girls really should learn to carry weapons," he said. Tatiana decided not to comment as she searched her pockets for something to eat. She had a total of three pockets, one on her shirt, one at the hem of her skirt for her money pouch, and one at the top of her skirt that was concealed by her shirt. Inside that pocket Tatiana's fingers grazed the handle of something cold. She grasped it and brought it out of her dress pocket. It was the comb Eram had given her, she sighed again, although she had thought she had dropped it when the first fire bender had captured her it still didn't help much.

"What's that?" Sokka asked seeing something shiny in her hand.

"Nothing, just a comb," she said and showed it too him. He pushed the bag off of his lap and onto the floor of the ship and reached out to take the comb. Sokka examined it for while. Tatiana felt weird having someone examine something of hers, namely a gift from another boy.

"It looks like real silver," he said as he hefted it in his hand. _He's holding it like it were some kind of weapon, _she thought.

"It probably is," she said, for the first time wondering what Eram had given her had cost. _Probably not much, or he wouldn't have given it too me…unless he really does like me_... she shoved the thoughts away and concentrated on the bag with unknown contents on the floor. Tatiana grabbed it and once again tried to pry the knot apart.

A sudden idea struck her as she looked at the discarded bucket. The handle of the bucket was almost off and had sharp points on the end where nails where sticking out. She grabbed the bucket and began to pry off the handle. Sokka looked at what she was doing and put the comb in his boomerang sheath to help her.

Sokka held the bucket as Tatiana yanked the rest of the metal off of it. "There, do you think there is any way to sharpen this?" she asked as she noted the broken end of the metal.

"No, just use the other end," he said as he handed her back her comb. Their fingers brushed as she grasped the end of her comb. She blushed, and even the smallest hint of color touched Sokka's face. She put her comb back in her skirt pocket and grabbed the knot in the sack.

Tatiana was about to cut the cloth, "Wait. Let me do it," Sokka said. Tatiana looked questioningly up at him from where she sat. "What if it's something dangerous in there?" he asked as he took the sack from her left hand and the jagged metal out of her other hand.

"Well it's not anymore dangerous for me than it is for you," she said crossing her arms.

"But if it were something dangerous-" he said.

"What's dangerous?" said Katara as she sat up.

"Nothing," he said, Katara looked too Tatiana.

"He thinks that there is something dangerous in that sack," she said pointing too the sack in Sokka's lap.

"Well is there?" she asked.

"There could be," Sokka said. "Just let me open it," he said as he began sawing on the thread of the sack. In a few short seconds there was a large hole in the sack, n apple showed through the hole along with a loaf of bread.

"See, just food," said Katara as she picked out the apple.

"Wait don't eat it!" said Sokka grabbing the apple away from Katara's open mouth. She glared angrily back at him.

"Why not? I'm starving Sokka, you of all people telling me not to eat," she said still glaring.

"They're fire benders, remember?" he said. Katara looked dubiously at the sack. "They could have poisoned it or something."

"I doubt that they would poison their only hope for capturing the Avatar," said Tatiana. Sokka looked at her.

"Then at least we'll die with full stomachs instead of dying with empty stomachs," Katara grabbed another apple and bit into it with a crunch, some of the juice from the apple landed on Sokka's face. Katara giggled as he wiped it off with the back of his hand.

Tatiana looked at the bread wantonly. _It looks fresh enough, _she thought as she reached for it. She ripped off the top of the loaf and began eating it as Sokka rummaged through the rest of the items in the sack. It turned out to contain four more apples, an orange, another loaf of bread, and a small wedge of cheese. Sokka helped himself to a large portion of the loaf of bread that Tatiana had already tore off.

Well he can eat, she thought as she glanced at Sokka shoveling down a huge bite of bread.

* * *

Sokka had finally given up on pacing and sat on his crate again, Katara was meditating near the shackles, and Tatiana sat under the door combing out her hair. When the door opened again, jerking all of them out of whatever stupor they had been in, Tatiana's comb got stuck in her hair as she jumped up. 

As Tatiana jumped up a rope was thrown around her waste and she was lifted up into the hands of more fire benders.

"Tatiana!" yelled Sokka as he ran to grab her. Tatiana went struggling up into the hands of the fire benders where another blind fold was secured around her head. Sokka punched the wall as the door was slammed shut.

"She'll be okay," said Katara trying to sound sure for her brothers sake although her face bore a worried expression.

"For now," he said. They hadn't really told Tatiana anything about Aang except his name. What was going to happen when the fire benders realized that she didn't know anything about him?

(A little longer of a chapter. But I am already starting on the next chapter as you read. So I gave them some food, I can't have them starving to death can I? Next chapter: The Inquisition, what will the Fire bender's do too Tatiana when they realize that she doesn't know about the Avatar?-crouching bunny.)


	6. Branded

Another blind fold was secured around Tatiana's head and her hands were once again being tied behind her back even as she struggled. She hated it when she couldn't see, and even more so when the ship was rocking precariously beneath her. Her uncertain footing caused her to be carried too wherever they were going. The comb stuck in her hair gave painful jolts as the person that was carrying her went down a flight of steps, she fought back a moan as the comb caught on her shirt. Thunder rolled in the distance and she could smell rain, she shivered and stopped struggling.

After the sound of a door being opened she was deposited in front of another fire. Her blindfold was removed but her hands stayed tied behind her. She closed her eyes to avoid the blaze of the fire, its heat was making unpleasant sensations on her skin and she felt the hairs on her arms char. Tatiana felt her eyes water as her skin began to burn. Biting her lip she looked up and around.

The fire bender who had carried her was standing behind her with his hands clasped behind his back, along with four other fire benders. The Prince, Zuko was standing at least two yards away with his hands behind his back surveying her, his uncle Iroh sat behind him with his arms in their sleeves surveying her also.

She looked up into the golden eyes of the Prince. She stifled a gasp and the urge to turn her face away. The day before the Prince had wore a helmet, today he wore none showing a large scar on the left side of his face. Tatiana could not help but feel sorry for the man, it looked painful. His golden eyes narrowed as her gaze left his face and went too his feet.

"What is your name?" he asked. Tatiana kept her head down letting her hair cover her face. The burning on her right arm intensified and a tear slipped out of her left eye to land unnoticed on the dark red rug, it was immediately evaporated by the intense heat of the fire beside her. "What is your _name_?" he asked again.

"Why don't you just ask me about the Avatar already?" she said realizing that her voice was cracking as soon as she finished her sentence, "That's what you wanted from me…"

She saw the Prince's boots move as he paced a small trail from the beginning of the rug to the end in a frustrated silence. Tatiana could almost feel his urge to strike her where she knelt. "Fine, what do you know about the Avatar?" he asked.

She sighed, "That his name is Aang, I know nothing more," she said as honestly as she could. _It is the truth, _she thought angrily as she felt the heat move up into her neck.

"Liar," he hissed. His booted toes where closer too her face, almost right under it in fact. She fought the urge to look up, the thought of seeing the scar stopped her. Tatiana shivered with the intense heat, she could feel beads of sweat sliding down from her temples onto her face.

"Perhaps it is the heat, Prince Zuko," said Iroh. Zuko turned to face his uncle.

"If she would tell me what she knows, she could go back to her cell," he said.

"I have already told you everything I know about the Avatar," she said, a pleading note in her voice.

"Silence," said the Prince in a foreboding tone. She bowed her head even lower, the comb fell inside her the top of her shirt. A searing pain made her yelp and toss as she was burned by the heated metal. She rolled over onto her back and fought to make the comb break contact with her skin. She screamed as the teeth of the comb dug into the delicate skin of her left shoulder.

She couldn't help the tears that dripped down her face, the handle of the comb was still inside her shirt. "Get it off of me!" she finally yelled to the estranged fire benders, "Get it off!" she yelled looking frantically at the teeth of the comb digging into her shoulder, the smell of burned flesh sickening her as she fought to sit up. Surprisingly enough the Prince walked behind her and grabbed the teeth of the comb, he held it in the palm of his hand until the faint red glow receded from the silver of the metal and it was once again a shining silver.

Pain tore at the left side of her chest and she saw blood run through the burned skin on her shoulder. She fell backwards in a dead faint. Prince Zuko looked around at the somewhat startled looking fire benders.

"Take her too the infirmary," he said and walked too the back, the comb still in his hand. The fire benders scrambled too obey and lifted the unconscious girl onto their shoulders.

"I do not understand uncle, she should have told me about the Avatar," said Prince Zuko as he dropped the comb onto the table in front of him.

"Perhaps, Prince Zuko, they have already formed a bond," Iroh said too his nephew. He looked at the silver comb. "I wonder how a poor girl from and Earth Kingdom came to afford that comb, it is surely pure silver," he said.

"Take it," said Zuko as he pushed the comb closer too his uncle. Iroh picked up the comb and studied it.

"Perhaps it is not wise to keep what is not yours, Prince Zuko," he said and put it down on the table and pushed it back towards his nephew. Zuko looked up, surprised that his uncle did not want such a treasure for it was surely silver. Knowing that further questioning would only lead to a game of Pai Cho he let the subject go.

"I am going to bed, no disturbances," he said as he got up. He hesitated and put the comb in his pocket. Iroh watched as his nephew left the room.

"Yes, what _is _the Comb of the Fire lord doing in the hands of a poor girl from the Earth Nation," he said before taking a sip of tea.

* * *

"I'm sure that she's alright Sokka," Katara said too her brother. Sokka had resumed pacing. Thunder grumbled overhead and lightning lanced through the clouds. Sokka saw the lightning through the window overhead. 

"Then why was she screaming Katara? I heard screaming!" he said as he stopped three paces in front of her. Katara raised an eyebrow.

"Sokka, I'm sure that Tatiana can take care of herself or she wouldn't be living alone in the middle of the forest, in a barn," she said.

"Of course you would say that! The girl doesn't even carry a weapon!" he said. Somehow Katara hadn't heard the screaming. "These are fire benders Katara! They aren't water tribe, we don't know what's happening too her, or what could happen too you," he said frantically.

"I hope Aang is alright," she said simply and went back to meditating. Sokka let out a frustrated groan and resumed pacing as more lightning lanced through the clouds.

* * *

Tatiana first felt the burning shooting from her left shoulder, she tossed her head too the other side. _Please let this all be a dream, _she thought strenuously, _please let me be home and not on some ship before it storms…_Tatiana somehow found the strength to open her eyes and see if it were actually dream. She wasn't in the brig with Sokka and Katara, she must be somewhere else on the ship, she noted as the floor rocked and she saw the dark grey walls. A fire was blazing on the other side of the room, several other beds were adorned with thin white sheets. 

Realizing that she was still on the Fire Navy ship she dared look at her shoulder. Her sleeve was pulled down and something sticky and wet adorned her burn. She realized that she had a burn mark in the shape of the comb' s handle embedded into the skin above her left breast. She sighed as the burning increased and lay her head back onto the thin pillow and tried to go back too sleep, and failing miserably as thunder rumbled outside. Tatiana pulled the covers over her head and shivered into the sheets.

(Yes, she has been branded. Please review and tell me how you think the story is going along, next chapter!-crouching bunny.)


	7. Great Escape

After the healer came to see how Tatiana's burn was holding up she was sent back too the brig with Sokka and Katara.

The door too the brig creaked open and Tatiana was half thrown and half lowered too the floor. Sokka sprang up from his seat on the crate and ran too Tatiana.

"Are you alright?" he asked as he helped her up. A large burn mark was showing above the top of her shirt. "What did they do to you?" he couldn't help asking as his eyes rested on the burn mark. It looked as if needles had been poked into her shoulder.

"I'm fine, just a burn," she said.

"I've never seen a burn mark like that before," Katara said as she walked over.

"It was from my comb, don't worry the healer saw too it," Tatiana said as she made to cover it up.

"They burned you with your own comb! They'll pay, they'll-" Sokka began.

"No, it wasn't all their fault," she said only half believing it. _Well they didn't jump to fling it off of you did they? _She thought as she fought the urge to cry. She was scared, she was cold, and despite the fact that Katara and Sokka showed great friendship qualities she was lonely.

Sokka looked like he wanted to press the matter but saw the tears in her eyes and went to sit on his crate again. Katara looked solemnly at Tatiana, _All of this just to keep Aang safe, _she thought, _and she hasn't even met him yet. _The burn looked painful and Katara guessed that the burn went even further than the skin, Tatiana's comb wasn't with her anymore.

* * *

Lightning flashed in the clouds as Aang scanned the sea below him, keeping Appa hidden in the steely grey clouds. Momo was perched on his shoulder, "Come on boy, we have to save Katara and Sokka," he said as he patted the giant bison's head. Appa groaned and dove into the cloud above him. 

Momo screeched and pointed downwards. Aang looked down, "Good job Momo," he said and patted Momo's head. Appa groaned. "You too Appa," he added.

Below, on the ship fire benders swarmed over the deck helping to keep the ship on course. "There they are, yip yip," he said tapping Appa's reigns. Unseen in the flurry of the clouds Appa dove down towards the water. Momo screeched as the water splashed him and jumped on Aang's head.

"Come on Momo, I'll need your help finding Katara and Sokka," he lifted Momo off of his head and put him on his shoulder again. "Stay here boy," he said too Appa. Aang looked up at the ship and blew so hard on Appa's back that he and Momo were propelled up onto the ship.

Aang looked down at the deck, it seemed like almost all of the crew was on deck securing the anchor. He picked up Momo and made him look into his face. "Go find Sokka and Katara," he said. Momo trilled and sped off down the ladder. Aang looked down at the deck again to make sure all attention was directed elsewhere and jumped down onto the other side of the crates. He looked both ways and then began looking for any sign of Sokka or Katara.

Momo sped off down the ladder and wound around the other side of the captains room where Prince Zuko and his uncle sat. Momo ran around them and down another ladder too the deck. He looked around sniffing. He could smell Katara and Sokka. He ran too a small window embedded into the bottom of the floor and looked in. Three people were inside, Katara, Sokka and some other girl.

He trilled softly sticking his head in the window, Katara looked up.

"Momo!" she cried and jumped up.

"What?" said Tatiana as she saw two lime green eyes staring down at her.

"It's Momo! Momo where's Aang?" asked Katara. Momo looked down at her and threw a pebble at Sokka's head.

"Ow!" Sokka said patting his head, a small red spot was on his forehead where the pebble had hit it.

"Listen Momo! Go and get Aang!" Katara said standing on her tip toes next too the wall. Momo trilled and ran down the ship and up the ladder.

"Relax, Prince Zuko. You are too young to have so many-" Iroh said as he set a cup of tea in front of Prince Zuko. Prince Zuko lifted the tea to his mouth, Momo ran by behind his Uncle's head. Zuko spat his tea out on the table and stood up, interrupting his uncle in mid lecture.

"The Avatar's lemur!" he yelled. "Get too the prisoners!" he yanked open the door and nearly fell down the stairs as he slipped on his tea.

Momo found Aang a little way away from the brig. He yanked on Aang's sleeve and pointed in the direction of the window. Aang raced towards the brig window.

"Katara Sokka! Hurry grab my hand!" he shouted above the roaring of the wind.

"Aang!" Katara yelled. Sokka gave her a hand up too the window. Tatiana looked up from her knees.

"Come on Tatiana!" Sokka yelled as Aang grabbed Katara's hands and pulled her through the small window. Aang reached his hands through the window again.

"Come on Sokka we don't have much time," he said. Footsteps were heard outside the door. Aang used air bending to send Sokka up too his hands. Katara helped Aang pull Sokka out.

"Wait! Tatiana's still down there!" Sokka yelled sticking his head and arms back into the window. The door burst open and fire steamed in along with Prince Zuko. Tatiana jumped to grab Sokka's hands. Aang sent another air current down that lifted Tatiana a little. Her fingers linked with Sokka's and she felt herself being grabbed. Then suddenly she felt the heated hands of a fire bender around her torso and neck.

"TATIANA!" Sokka yelled as he felt her fingers slip through his and saw Zuko grab her.

"The girl for the Avatar!" Zuko yelled and Tatiana saw a jet of fire shoot towards the window.

"Sokka!" she yelled, but Sokka was pulled back by two pairs of hands.

"We'll come back," Katara whispered in Sokka's ear as Aang ran towards the edge of the boat and jumped off. Katara dragged Sokka by the shirt too the edge of the boat where Aang helped them onto Appa. Sokka looked back down silently at the ship.

"Yip Yip!" Aang yelled over the shout of the wind. Appa sped off into the clouds.

Zuko and Tatiana were left in the brig by their selves. The wind howled and the brig door slammed shut. Tatiana stared at the spot where Sokka had been, the Prince let her go and stepped back too the door. Tatiana didn't know whether to slap the Prince for capturing her and risk the chance of him hitting her back or break down and cry.

The Prince growled and tried too open the door from the inside. It was locked, he blew steam from his mouth and glared down at the Earth nation girl.

"It's locked and you can't get out," she said walking over too the other side of the brig and sitting stubbornly down, burying her head in her knees as thunder roared. He stopped glaring and let the door go, the Avatar would come back. The girl knew him or he would not have tried to save her…

The girl looked up at him, "You've already killed my family, and most of my friends. Why don't you just kill me too so I won't have to feel anything anymore!" she yelled at him. Zuko looked at her sharply, and to his surprise she was crying. Her tears were leaving tracks on her face. "Kill me! Just kill me now you dirty Fire Bender!" she yelled at him throwing an apple core at him. It bounced off of his armor and landed on the floor. Normally he would have punished her for being so disrespectful to him, but for some reason he hindered himself from hurting a crying female.

"You should learn to speak with respect," he said. She looked up at him through shocking green eyes, her hair tangling without her comb.

"You should learn how to treat people! You've already hurt me, just kill me already! You will anyway so just do it right now!" she said as she once again buried her face in her knees and shook with tears. She didn't care anymore, she was scared, cold, wet, tired, and burned. And it was currently all of Prince Zuko's fault.

"How is it my fault, I'm sure that I haven't been anywhere near your village in my life except for just a few days ago," he snapped. She continued to cry. _This is what I get for bringing girls on my ship,_ he thought as he walked over too her.

"Go away and leave me alone! I hate you! Get away from me!" she said as she slapped at him. Prince Zuko gritted his teeth as she punched him hard in the knee.

"Calm down," he commanded her and grabbed her wrists to stop her from slapping him.

"Why should I? Why should I do anything that you tell me to do? I don't like you and more so you're a fire bender!" Tatiana felt like beating him senseless. Everything was his fault. If he hadn't captured her and ordered her to stay in the brig with Sokka and made her like him then this all wouldn't have happened.

"Stop it!" he yelled at her as she started to sob again. She collapsed at his knees with her arms around his shins. The ship stopped rocking so hard. Zuko grimaced as the door opened and he saw his uncle and several other members of his crew. He shot his uncle a look that clearly said 'get me out of here.' Iroh sent his nephew a questioning glance at the crying girl wrapped around his shins.

"Just, fine give her a spare room," he said. Tatiana looked up at him again, she had stopped crying. Zuko stepped carefully out of her arms and walked back too the door. Tatiana wiped her eyes and made a half hearted attempt to stifle her sniffs. The guards made to pick her up.

"No, she can walk," Zuko said over his shoulder. They led her too a room at the bottom of the ship. As soon as they entered the room Tatiana collapsed on the bed and went too sleep. Zuko stopped one of his soldiers with a hand on his shoulder.

"Stay and make sure she doesn't hurt herself," he whispered in his ear. The guard nodded. _The girl is clearly suicidal, _he thought too himself as he made his way back to his own room.

(It appears that our heroine has had a bit of an emotional break down here. Well don't hate me for torturing her, things will get better.-crouching bunny.)


	8. Always Knock

Prince Zuko lay in his bed, he flipped over on his other side. The fire was still glowing brightly, it was on the inside of his eyelids. The slightest creaking of the boards distracted him from his slumber. He turned over again, the fire was casting shadows on the wall, he shoved the covers off of him in frustration and sat up. He leaned over and put his face in his hands rubbing his eyes. _Someone must hate me, _he thought as he got up and walked over too his table.

He sat down and rubbed his forehead, something silver caught his eye. He stopped rubbing his forehead and put his hand down on the table. It was just the comb from the Earth bender girl, yet somehow…

Zuko picked up the comb and examined it. Nothing particularly spectacular about it, the handle was shaped in the form of a crane with flowers circling around it. He had seen it before somewhere. He ran his fingers over the handle and felt something embedded on the back. He turned it over. A small burst of fire with a helmet thrust in the middle of the flames jumped out at him.

"The Fire lords seal…" he said and put it down on the table and got up. He ran towards the navigation room and raced up the stairs two at a time. He burst through the door startling the captain and two dozing card players.

"Change course! We're going back!" he said. The helmsmen looked startled for a second and then began turning the wheel.

* * *

Tatiana slid with a thump off of the bed and landed hard on her side. She lay their gasping for a second as she was jolted awake. She hadn't realized how stifling it was in the room, Tatiana lifted herself up off of the floor by her elbow. The fire was roaring and sweat shone on her face and made her dress stick to her. She wiped her fore head and got up wincing slightly as a shot of pain zigzagged across her burned shoulder. She shuddered as she fought the urge to put her hand over it. 

The fire seemed to be roaring higher and she looked desperately for a pitcher of water to pour over it. There was none. A sudden idea struck her as she looked around the room, a dresser was stationed on the other side of the room.

She made her way over too the dresser and looked behind her, she could faintly hear the sounds someone snoring on the other side of the door. Tatiana dismissed it as a guard and opened a dresser drawer. She sighed as she looked down at the contents. A large, but thin black shirt was nestled on top of several pairs of folded pants. She opened the remaining doors, but they all held clothes that needed some very extensive repairing.

Tatiana opened the top one again and reached in and grabbed the black shirt, it unfolded as she brought it out. _It should go down to at least my knees, _she thought and she held it up too herself. With a sudden sense of foreboding she narrowed her eyes and looked distrustfully at the door. _Everyone is asleep, stop being paranoid, _she thought too herself. _Besides, this dress needs to be washed._

She looked down at the folds of her skirts, they were plastered too her legs with sweat from the fire, she wasn't terribly dirty herself but could use a bath. Tatiana shuddered as a wave of heat from the fire ran over her. She lifted the hem of her shirt.

* * *

"Why are we changing courses Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked his nephew as he sat down by the Prince. 

"Because, Uncle, the girl had the Fire Lord's comb and the Avatar will most likely not anticipate us to go back," he said.

"I still see no reason why you had to change courses in the middle of the night. Would it not have been just as effective if you had turned around when you first got the comb?" Iroh said as he rubbed the back of his head, he had fallen from his bed onto the floor.

"Are you telling me that you knew the girl had the Fire lord's comb?" Zuko asked through gritted teeth. Iroh shrugged.

"I thought you knew," he said. Zuko pushed himself away from the table and stood up blowing steam out of his mouth. He yanked open the door and proceeded to walk down the stairs.

"Where are you going Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked as he got up to follow his nephew down the stairs.

"To get some answers," he said moodily.

"Perhaps it is not wise to go barging into a woman's room in the middle of the night," he panted as he reached the bottom step and caught up with Zuko.

"This is my ship," he stated as he started down the hallway too where the girl was sleeping. Zuko stalked down the hall way with his uncle trailing after him.

"Prince Zuko, I do not think that this is the best thing for you to be doing. She is probably sleeping, and if she is anything like you when you are woken in the middle of the night I do not think that you would want to be in her midst," he said.

"This is still my ship uncle and we do not cater too our prisoners," Zuko said as he came too a stop at the door. The guard was snoring beside it. "Lucky that she did not escape," Zuko whispered as he yanked open the door.

Tatiana began to pull the sleeping shirt over her head asthe door was yanked open. The Fire Prince was standing in her doorway staring shockedly at her. His gold eyes were wide and a sudden flush crept into his cheeks. Tatiana gazed if possible, more shockedly at him than he was at her. She suddenly grabbed the shirt to her chest and goggled at him.

It was at this most opportune moment that Iroh and the guard looked in the room. Tatiana felt her mouth drop open in either surprise or fright before the Prince slammed the door shut. She sat down on the bed and quickly put the shirt on correctly. She winced as the material, although soft rubbed against the burn on her shoulder.

She walked timidly forward and opened the door. The Fire Prince was standing there with his Uncle and the Guard. "What do you want?" she asked.

"Where did you get that comb?" Prince Zuko asked. Tatiana noticed that with her own flush, his had not fully receded. _Disgusting fire bending scum_…she thought as she tried to keep her face blank.

"A friend gave it too me," she said defiantly and turned to go back into her room. The Fire Prince grabbed her unburned shoulder and spun her to face him.

"A friend just so happens to give you the Fire lord's comb?" he asked heatedly. The flush at the top of his cheek bones was gone and he was suddenly more terrifying.

"I d-didn't know it was the Fire Lord's comb…" she said as his grip tightened painfully on her shoulder.

"We'll see," he said and let go his vice like grip on her shoulder. She gasped and plastered herself fearfully against the wall, cringing at him. He made a frustrated noise and stalked down the hallway disappearing around a corner. Tatiana gazed after him and clutched at her shoulder.

Iroh looked down at the guard. "At your post soldier," he said and walked after his nephew. Tatiana seeped back into her room and closed the door so fast that it could have been mistaken for a slam. She leaned against the back of the door and slid down the wood to sit with her knees drawn up to her face and buried her face in her knees.

* * *

"You should not have scared her like that Prince Zuko," said Iroh as he walked into the Prince's room. Zuko looked up at him. 

"What was I supposed to do?" he asked pointedly. Iroh rolled his eyes, obviously Zuko was trying to cover up the fact that he had barged in on her.

"Knock before entering?" he suggested. His nephew was not handling the young lady very well. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"This is my ship," he said stubbornly.

"So I've heard," he murmured. Zuko looked up at his uncle surprised. "And this is where it has gotten you!" he said. "Shirking from a young lady and scaring her too death," he said. He sighed and sat down in front of his nephew.

"You are handling this all wrong Prince Zuko, this is a young lady not some seasoned warrior. If you are to get any information out of her you would do better by going at a different approach."

"Yes uncle," Zuko said resignedly.

(Remember to review! -crouching bunny.)


	9. A Different Approach

Tatiana woke in the morning by the sound of someone knocking on her door. She got up stiffly, wincing at the pain in her knees and moved away from the door too open it timidly. Several guards were outside holding an enormous tub slopping with water, and straining under the weight.

A guard that was not holding the tub quickly opened the door wide enough for the tub, and the other guards supporting the tub filed in after him. They set it on a large metal spot beside the dresser. Tatiana had never paid it much attention before then until two of the fire benders began to weld the four short legs too the metal, another put towels beside the tub and two strange looking bottles.

The fire bender who had opened the door looked at the tub and then turned too her, "The Prince wishes you to bathe and then come too the observation deck." Tatiana stared at him and then at the tub. The fire bender shifted and produced a package out of the inside of his armor. "He also told me to give these to you," he said and held it out for her to take.

Tatiana took it with cold hands and watched them leave, the last one shut the door behind him. She turned to stare at the steaming tub. The legs that held it in place too the metal still glowed faintly. Tatiana walked over too the tub and peered in, it was almost filled to the top with clear swishing water that steamed. She looked over her shoulder at the door.

She still didn't like the fact that someone could still walk in on her. She looked around for a chair, there was one against the wall a little ways away from the bed. Tatiana set the package on the bed and walked over and drug the chair too the door. She propped it against the door knob and set it firmly. It wouldn't keep out anyone that was determined to get in her room, but at least she would be able to know if someone was trying to get in.

The water steamed welcoming vapors and Tatiana smiled as she walked over to it and slipped out of her clothes and into the water.

She yelped as the hot water stung her skin, then lay back and relaxed as the water washed away the last few days of grime and sweat. Water splashed on her burn, at first it stung and then she sunk lower in the water and sighed as it soothed the burn.

Tatiana reached over the edge of the tub and grabbed one of the bottles and examined it. A clear dark green liquid moved syrup like in the container. She unscrewed the top and sniffed, she coughed and thrust it away from her nose. It smelled like sweet herbs mixed with fruit. She looked at the door again and dunked her head under water. She came up and let the water run freely down her face. Tatiana wiped the hair out of her face and squeezed some of the shampoo into her hand and washed her hair out.

After opening the other bottle she realized that it was another quite better smelling shampoo, she shrugged and rewashed her hair. It made her hair surprisingly soft, she looked at the bottle. _'Imperial Store' _read the label on the glass. She giggled and dropped it in the tub. _Imagine me, _she thought as she searched for the bottle in the sudsy water, _washing my hair with the most expensive hair tonics that I have never hoped to afford. _She giggled again as she found it and realized that the bottle had emptied into the water.

Tatiana stepped out of the tub and wrapped a fluffy red and black towel around her and attempted to dry her hair. After she had dried, Tatiana remembered the package that she had set on the bed. She grabbed it and sat cross legged on the bed. She ripped into the thin paper and let it drop from her hand onto her lap. She picked it up and grasped the fine material of a beautiful dress.

* * *

Zuko stood leaning on the rails and staring out too sea, it had been hard getting his uncle to part with one of his collectables. A gentle wind blew his hair a little as he looked up into the cloudless sky, a familiar smell made him turn around. The girl was standing behind him, she was wearing a beautiful dark purple dress with long wide sleeves that hung almost too her fingertips, the skirts of the dress barely drug the deck behind her. Her hair hung half way down her back and the top was tied back, although strands still escaped from the tie to blow in her face. A black sash was tied around her waist and swayed behind her, the neckline was cut modestly at least two inches from the knoll in her neck. _Not bad, _he thought to himself as he observed her. 

Tatiana stood as defiantly as she could while the Fire Prince observed her. She held back the urge to shiver as his cool yellow eyes took in her appearance. _Amazing how he can still scare me even when he isn't screaming, _she thought and lifted her chin a little.

"What is your name?" he asked. Tatiana was taken slightly aback at his sudden question. He folded his arms as he continued to stare at her.

"Tatiana," she said feeling a blush creep into her cheeks at his staring. He smiled, he didn't look nice even when he smiled. She almost cringed. She was still scared of the Fire Prince.

"That's pretty," he said still leaning against the railing. Tatiana lowered her eyes and then looked back at him.

"You wanted me to come?" she asked faltering slightly. Laughter danced in his eyes and he smiled again.

"Join me for lunch," he said and walked past her, obviously wishing for her to follow him. Tatiana gritted her teeth and followed him towards a door. He opened it for her and she walked past him quickly and then paused to allow him time to close the door and lead the way again. He took the lead again and she followed him the rest of the way up the stairs.

"Prince Zuko," Iroh said as the door opened and his nephew came in. Tatiana stopped at the door, and it was almost closed on her. _Yes, I forgot I am in the presence of a Prince. Ha ha, I must be getting better at flirting, _she almost laughed until Zuko turned around and opened the door for her again. She felt her face almost fall as she was expected to come up to the room with him.

"Ah, Tatiana. I hope you are enjoying the dress," said a short man with a tea cup in his hands.

"Hello," she said as a chair was pulled out for her. Tatiana looked at it and then sat. _What is with the special treatment all of a sudden? _she thought as Zuko sat down beside her. "I'm sorry, I didn't catch your name… sir," she said. Iroh laughed.

"Please, Iroh will do," he said. Tatiana nodded and nearly jumped as a plate with a large orange fish was set in front of her. She caught Zuko laughing at her. Tatiana felt a blush seep into her face and picked at the fish with her fork. Iroh cleared his throat.

Fine uncle, I see she is uncomfortable, Zuko thought as he shot his uncle an 'I know, I'm on it' look. He shifted and faced Tatiana.

"Your Highness! The scouts are back!" shouted a voice down the stairs before the door burst open and a fire bender came in with his helmet off and tucked under his arm. Sweat came down the short ends of his spiky black hair. Tatiana recognized his voice as the soldier who had told Zuko that the Avatar had been spotted. Zuko gritted his teeth and snapped his head toward the fire bender.

"What do they have to say?" he asked, and once again his voice was almost cruel. The soldier pushed the hair out of his face.

"A band of fire nation deserters has been reported, they have inhabited our old camp site," he said. For a minute Tatiana thought that Zuko was about to blow up, his face contorted with rage and he stood up and walked down the stairs.

"Put on your helmet!" he roared at the soldier. The soldier nodded and slipped his helmet over his head hiding his features from Tatiana. Tatiana froze as she tried to remember when they had camped last. _Zuko ordered them to leave the camp alone… near the village! _Tatiana felt her eyes widen and she jumped out of her chair and ran after Zuko down the stairs.

(Yes, the next few chapters shall be more eventful, and will have Aang, Sokka and, Katara in them. Two chapters today… I must be getting better at this… or worse… that is why you review!-crouching bunny.)


	10. Broken Boomerang

"She is still there!" Sokka shouted at Katara and Aang. Katara flinched and looked over too Aang.

"Alright… Tatiana? She let you stay at her house, and the fire benders captured her too?" he said processing the information. Sokka groaned and threw a stick into the forest.

"We know Sokka, but Appa is pretty tired from flying so fast back here," Katara said as she patted Appa's head. Appa groaned in affirmation and Sokka felt his eyes narrow.

"We need to help her, no telling what the fire benders are doing to her!" he said again.

"We know Sokka, but if the fire benders catch us before we get her to safety then we'll be back where we were before," Katara said before she put a hand on Sokka's shoulder. Sokka looked down at the ground.

"Yeah Sokka, Appa just needs to rest. Don't worry, we'll get her," Aang said and put a hand on Sokka's other shoulder.

* * *

"Wait!" Tatiana called as she raced down the stairs after the Prince. Zuko turned around and glared at her. 

"What do you want?" he asked.

"I can help, it's my home," she said.

"What can you do?" he asked, as he studied her. Tatiana swallowed. _Just do it, otherwise you'll never get off of this ship._

"I'm an earth bender," she said. Zuko lifted his eyebrow and folded his arms. "I am the earth bender, there was a landslide and I was coming back from it to my home. Which was where your soldier caught me," she said it all very fast.

"That makes sense, go wait the deck and for me," he said and stalked down the hallway. Tatiana stood there for a minute and then ran up the stairs too the deck.

* * *

Prince Zuko slipped his armor over his head, if the weather held they should be back at the earth village by the next morning. He grinned slightly and recounted the earth nation girl. It made sense now, she was the earth bender and had obviously used a rock slide to help get the fire lord's comb from one of the troops. After she had assisted them with the deserters from the fire nations army he would have her shipped back to the fire nation's capital with his father's comb and his father's new servant. And he would be another step closer too reclaiming his throne.

* * *

Tatiana was getting tired of waiting, not that she was anxious to see the Fire Prince again, but she was anxious on getting back too her home. _I still don't trust him, _she thought as the Fire Prince's face surfaced in her mind. A picture of Sokka floated into her mind as soon as she got rid of Zuko's image.

She stared out to sea, she had tried not to think too much about Katara or Sokka since she had last saw them. She didn't want them to come back for her, it would only put them and their friend at risk, she could take care of herself. Tatiana pushed herself off of the rails and began walking down the stairs looking for Zuko.

Tatiana walked around the ship for a while looking for a trace of the Prince. As she rounded a corner she saw him step out of a room and close the door. Something stopped her from calling out to him as he rounded another corner and disappeared. She waited for a few seconds and then walked too where he had disappeared. She peaked around the corner, he wasn't there.

She walked slowly back too the closed door and opened it. Inside was a large bed, a table and two dressers. She looked behind her and then closed the door.

Tatiana walked over too the dressers and went through the contents of them. Shirts, pants, under garments, nothing that she hadn't seen before of her brothers. She closed the drawers carefully and looked around. He had put out his fire, so he obviously wasn't coming back anytime soon.

Something silver flashed as she turned around. _The table, _she thought and walked over too it. Her comb glinted on the table top. Tatiana picked it up and held it close to her chest and fingered the handle. She put it in her sash and went through the other things on the table. The handle of a silver and blue boomerang that she recognized as Sokka's peeked out from underneath a black cloth. Tatiana looked towards the door. _Better to get out now before anyone walks in on me, _she thought, but she couldn't resist the urge to have something of Sokka's to remember him by.

She looked over her shoulder once again and grabbed the end of the boomerang. As she pulled it out from under the black cloth, it snagged on the fabric. She silently cursed as she gently removed the cloth from sharp end of the boomerang.

As she pushed the cloth to the side another shimmering caught her eye. She put Sokka's boomerang inside her sash beside the comb and moved the black cloth more. She gasped as she looked at the most beautiful necklace she had ever seen. She had never seen a stone like this, or a gem stone for that matter upon closer examination it held the water symbol inside of it.

She picked it up by the blue ribbon that it hung from and let it dangle in front of her face. It was light blue with a pearly sheen that seemed to come from the inside and the outside at the same time. Hands grabbed her shoulders and she tensed.

"I wouldn't take that if I were you," said a familiar voice from behind her.

Zuko knocked on his uncle's door. "Uncle are you in there?" he asked. A grunt issued from inside.

"Hold on Prince Zuko," came the reply. Zuko stood away from the door as it opened. His uncle came out with a towel around his waist. "So, how is your inquisition going with young Tatiana?" he asked as Zuko walked past him.

"Actually it hasn't," Zuko said as he sat down. There was a tub of steaming water in the middle of the room. "She is waiting for me," he said too his uncle's questioning look.

"Oh," Iroh said. _Really this is like killing two birds with one stone_, he thought. Zuko would have to marry some time and if he didn't mind stating the obvious he wasn't very good at courting young ladies. And if he came out and said that Zuko needed practice then he would stay away from them entirely. So this different approach might get Zuko his information and may help himself get grand nieces or nephews.

"Where is the young lady?" he said asked.

"She is waiting for me on the deck," he said and got up. Iroh nodded.

"Perhaps it is not wise for you to leave a pretty girl such as Tatiana alone, on a ship full of men," he said.

"I trust my men not to touch earth nation scum," Zuko said.

"Don't put too much faith in them," Iroh said, "Two years at sea does things too a man." Zuko lifted his eyebrow and got up to leave the room. As soon as the door was closed Iroh got back in the tub and relaxed.

"Grand nieces, grand nephews!" he said reclining on the edge of the tub.

Tatiana had heard this voice when she was first captured, it sounded exactly like the fire bender who had captured her. The hand on her burned shoulder barely grazed the teeth marks. She froze as she felt the hands slide down her shoulders to her elbows. His breath was stirring the hair that lay over the back of her neck. The hands were on her stomach now and traveling up.

She broke the contact and spun around. "Who are you?" she shouted at him and fought the urge to run. He laughed. Tatiana grabbed for the boomerang in her sash. He stepped closer to her and she jumped back yelping.

"Don't scream," he said as he grabbed her wrist. _Wonderful, he tells me not to scream. I'll be sure not to scream, _she thought as he pulled her closer into him. He removed his mask. He had dark black eyes and eyebrows but he was still handsome. And he was still a fire bender. She opened her mouth to scream but she was pulled closer into the armor of the fire bender and a mouth was pressed over hers before she could scream. Heat came off of the fire benders hands on her back. Her arms were pinned in front of her as the kiss continued. Tatiana could see that his eyes were still opened. _Funny, I thought that you were supposed to close your eyes, _she thought as he broke the kiss.

"It's not polite to stare," he said. As soon as her hands were free Tatiana grabbed the boomerang and whacked him over the head with it. She obviously did not hit him quite hard enough as he grabbed her leg and pulled her down with him.

"Get off of me!" she yelled at him as she tried to desperately get him off of her. His hand met her face with a loud smacking sound and she felt her top lip bust with the impact of the hit. Her head bounced against the wood of the ships floor. Stars swam before her face and she felt her eyes dilate.

A loud crashing noise was heard in the back ground and a spray of wood chips littered the floor around her. Intense heat shrouded around her for a second and the guard slumped off of her. Another face was in hers.

"Sokka?" she asked dizzily, trying to focus.

"No," said the face.

"Oh… I'm sorry I broke your boomerang," she said again as she looked at the boomerang in her hand. "Wait, it's not broken after all," she said almost laughing at how silly she felt.

Tatiana felt hands scoop her up and she absently put the boomerang back in her sash before she fainted.

(Review my pretties! Review! -crouching bunny.)


	11. Stealth

Tatiana sat up slowly and took in her surroundings. White beds lined up along the wall, she was in the infirmary. She could feel her pulse beating in her lip, she put a hand up to it and gently ran a finger over it. It was swelled but not too bad. She pushed the thin white covers off of her and got out of the bed. She was still in the dress, and the sash was still tied around her waist.

She reached a hand inside the sash and her hand closed on Sokka's boomerang. Her comb was nowhere to be found. She was a little disappointed that she had lost the comb. _Better than losing my virginity to some fire bending dog, _she thought angrily as she stuck the boomerang back in her sash and walked to the door.

The door creaked slowly open to reveal an empty hall way. Tatiana closed the door behind her and looked for a telltale set of stairs that would lead her onto the deck. As she found the stairs she made an attempt to smooth her hair out, it had come undone from her earlier excursions that day and was tumbling in and out of her face.

Tatiana walked up the stairs after putting her hair behind her ears and looked for the door that would lead her too the navigation room, none too eager to meet anymore fire benders.

* * *

"It looks like they're coming back this way," Aang said as he jumped off of Appa's back. Sokka looked up at him. _Why did they turn around? _He thought as he glanced at Katara who's face expressed his thoughts. 

"Why are they coming back?" Katara asked. Momo hopped on Aang's head as he shrugged.

"They left their campsite. They had too come back sometime," he said.

"I don't know, I'm going to go and check things out at the village," Katara said.

"I'll go too," Aang ran to catch up with Katara who had already started walking. Sokka nodded and waved as Appa began munching the branch off of a tree.

* * *

"I win, again," Iroh said as he sat back and smiled. The crew members he had been playing with resignedly took out several coins from their pockets. "Thank you, you really are getting much better. In fact if we play another game you will surely win," he said smiling again. The two crew members shook their heads and went for the exit. 

As they opened the door Tatiana walked in with her head bowed under their elbows. They shut the door behind them. Iroh looked up merrily at the girl. She lifted her head and he let in a sharp intake of breath. Her bottom lip was swollen and a thin line of blood ran down her chin where the lip had split. Her hair was slightly messy and the fabric on one of her shoulders was torn, showing the beginnings of bruises on it.

"Here," he got up and pushed a chair out for her. She sat down.

"Where is Prince Zuko?" she asked as she scooted it up the table.

"I believe he is in his room straightening up," he lied.

"Oh," she said and looked down at the game board. "Is this Pai Cho?" she asked as she picked up a lotus tile and examined it.

"Why yes it is. Do you play?" he asked. She nodded as she put the tile back on the board. Tatiana began arranging pieces on the board to suit her. He nodded as he looked at the standard 'Guarding Dragon' defense.

"I've been known to," she said and looked at his attack pattern 'Gliding Swan' this was going to be interesting, and it would help her get her mind off of the more unpleasant events of the day.

Tatiana listened with interest as Iroh told her the answers too every question she could think of about the ship, the Fire Nation and, the Fire Prince.

"How do you know that there are rogue fire benders at your deserted campsite?" she asked. Iroh moved his left flank back and studied the game board.

"It's actually a miniature submarine, although it travels on top of the water," he said.

"Really, how big is it?" she asked as the new subject peaked her interest.

"Oh, its about a fourth of this room," he said studying the board.

"It must be really hard to operate," she said making her voice lilt as to make the casual listener think that anyone who would dare go out in a submarine were the bravest to have ever sailed the ocean.

"Actually it is not hard. You see it is just like operating a rhino, you just steer it where you want too go. It goes three times as fast as this ship, useful on stealth missions in particular," Iroh said. Tatiana changed her attack pattern to 'The Stampede' and looked casually back to Iroh. She saw an opening, if she switched her defense back to 'Guarding Dragon' she would lose. If she changed it to 'Hiding Rat' there was no way that he could be able too repair his attack pattern.

Tatiana pretended to look perplexed as she made unsure seeming gestures towards the pieces. She changed it to 'Guarding Dragon." Tatiana smiled inwardly, a plan forming in her mind.

"Ah, one more game?" Iroh said as his pieces overtook her inner defenses.

"Of course," she said rearranging the pieces to 'Creeping Snake' attack pattern. _A few more games and he'll forget what he has told me, _she thought as she smiled back at Iroh.

* * *

Prince Zuko shot fire out of his hand at a target bearing a strange resemblance to Admiral Zhao. It hit the target square in the head making the pieces of an old boot that were the sideburns burst into flame. One of the crew mates splashed water on it to ready for his next attack. 

Zuko smirked as he imagined Zhao's head on fire.

"Good shot sir," said the crew member as he stepped away from the steaming practice dummy. Zuko smirked even harder. _Suck up, _he thought as he set a jet of fire balls at the dummy leaving it blazing. The crew member raced to put it out and started throwing bucket after bucket of water of it. Zuko left him to it and walked back to the navigation room where his uncle would most likely be trying to fool someone into playing Pai Cho with him.

"She is still in the Infirmary recovering," Zuko said as he watched his uncle move a piece back. Iroh rubbed his chin through his beard.

"Really? She seemed just fine when she left," Iroh said. Zuko's eyes widened.

"What?" he said.

"She wanted a game of Pai Cho, and she nearly beat me. Very good defense. She grew tired after the fourth game so she went back to her room," he surveyed the board.

"Where did you say she went?" he asked.

"Too her room to have a nap."

"Her room has been locked since she left this morning," Zuko got up and ran down the stairs again.

"Wait, where are you going Prince Zuko?" Iroh asked as he glowered at the game board. He was about to win.

Zuko raced down the second set of stairs leading to the earth bender girl's room. The guard was playing cards with another crew member. They snapped too attention as they saw him approach.

"You!" he pointed too the guard. "Has the girl been here recently?" he asked. The guard shook his head.

"No sir," he said.

"And the door has remained locked?" he said.

"Yes sir," the guard looked at the other crew member. Zuko fought the urge to hit him.

"If you see her take her to the navigation room," he said and walked off down the hall towards his room. _The little thief, _he thought as he walked through the doorway. If she hadn't have come prowling through his things then he wouldn't have to stop and get a knew door. _Probably off hiding… or getting into even more trouble. I should just let the men have her after we get our camp site back, _he thought regretfully as he recounted knocking out one of his soldiers. _I could have used him in the raid tomorrow, _he thought as he checked to see if everything was in place.

The silver comb was on the floor. _Most likely where she dropped it, _he thought as he angrily picked up the comb and slammed it on his table. He picked up the piece of black cloth on the floor and realized with a surge of anger that it had a hole in it. That had been his blanket as a child. The water brat's boomerang was missing as he had figured. Lieutenant Sen now had a large bump on the side of his head where it looked like the girl had hit him over the head with something. _That solves that mystery, _he thought as he checked on the water bender's necklace. It was on the floor under the table.

"Sir!" shouted a soldier as he skidded to a halt in front of the what used to be Zuko's door. Zuko turned around.

"What?" he snapped.

"The submarine is missing-"

"WHAT?" Zuko yelled as he pushed past the soldier and ran down the hallway and up the stairs. _Obviously his Uncle had spilled on how to work the submarine, _he thought angrily as he raced towards where the submarine was kept.

There was a large empty spot where the submarine usually sat by the trap door that it was drove down into the water. He walked over to the handle and looked at it. It was only halfway down, the sign of someone that was in a hurry. Zuko gritted his teeth and punched the wall.

"Tell the crew to double up on the coal!" he yelled at the guard standing behind him. The guard flinched and raced back up the stairs. He kicked the side of the ship and stomped up the stairs to go and harass his Uncle.

* * *

Tatiana sighed and wiped her forehead. Iroh had significantly left out the tiny detail that it was so hot in the submarine, she had already removed her sash and rolled up the sleeves of her dress to her shoulders. Her burn was a lot better as long as she didn't press too hard on it. The submarine was fairly easy to steer, she was just following right behind the ship, where they couldn't see her. It would not have been safe for her to go out in front of the ship until dark. So she waited. 

After a few hours the sun set. Tatiana steered slowly around the ship until she was in front of it. She headed in the direction that the ship was heading. The tiny submarine quickly outdistanced the navy ship.

Tatiana kept a constant vigilant watch over her course, making sure that it never wavered. The general had been quite helpful indeed.

By twilight she could see land in the distance. She sighed wishing for the feel of her own mattress under her back. Before she knew it she was moving on the land. The sand on the beach glowed faintly blue in the moonlight, casting over the fact that the small beach was deserted. Tatiana looked around to make sure she had not caught the notice of any unwanted witnesses. She got out of the small submarine as she stopped under the cover of the forest.

She would come back during the morning and bury it beneath the sand. Tatiana didn't have time, the fire benders would have likely found out by now that she had stolen their submarine. She would have to get back to her home and gather what belongings and money that she had left and leave. It would probably be safe in Omashu, however long it took her to get there. Along with Omashu she could try and find out about her brother and her father. And if she couldn't find anything out about them then she could just come back, it would not be likely that the fire benders would hold a grudge. Or she might not ever come back, she could train with the earth benders and go into battle.

Tatiana's mind raced as she paced through the forest feeling her way along the paths towards her home. As she walked she contemplated going to the shop where she had bought the dress, it somehow didn't feel right to have ripped the old woman off. _No doubt she thinks I gypped her, _she thought as she smiled. She really didn't know what to think of herself lately, she had snuck into a Prince's room and stolen back a few things, not just any Prince, the _Fire Prince's _rooms. She had stolen a fire navy submarine and cheated an old lady out of a beautiful dress. _Honestly, you'd think that I was born in the Fire Nation. _She smirked and tried not to think as she sped up to her house.

* * *

Sokka sat in a tree beside Tatiana's house. Aang and Katara still hadn't returned from the village. He was beginning to worry. Sokka couldn't bear losing Katara and Aang. He began to stand up and jump out of the tree to go and try to find them when a twig snapped behind him and he froze. 

A shadowy figure emerged quietly from the trees and began sprinting under him. _Burglar! _He thought as he sprang down on the figure below him.

Sokka landed with a thump, the figure below him shoved him off and sprang at him. They rolled down the small hill. Sokka shoved the figure off of him in a similar fashion and reached for a boomerang that was no longer there.

The trees cut off all light leaving them in semi darkness. The figure tried to race back up the hill. Sokka caught up with them half way and jumped on the shadowy figures back. He drug them down and lifted himself up. In the moonlight the person was obviously female, with long hair about mid back.

She whipped out something shining from a black sash tied about her waist and spun to face him. Sokka stared at her shockedly as the moonlight glinted on her face illuminating shocking green eyes and a busted bottom lip.

"Tatiana?" he whispered breathing harshly. Her bottom lip was busted and a thin line of blood ran freshly from it shining in the moonlight.

"Sokka?" she said. Sokka felt guilty for busting her lip. She looked different somehow. Her hair was very disheveled and she looked older with it down, and lovelier. Tatiana jumped on Sokka bringing them both to the ground. And before either knew it their lips had met. Sokka's eyes widened in surprise as he realized what was happening and then closed as he realized that he liked kissing Tatiana, that that was something that he had wanted to do for a while.

Tatiana closed her eyes and enjoyed the moment before she realized that she was kissing Sokka. When she did, she found that she didn't care about being embarrassed anymore. Sokka's hands were on her back as he rolled over and Tatiana's hands found the sides of his face and felt of the smooth skin. As the kiss started to end Tatiana opened her eyes and saw Sokka's eyes staring back at her. She could have drowned in those beautiful blue eyes. They reminded her of everything beautiful, the river, the night sky, and the stars all mixed into one.

They finally broke apart. Tatiana sat up on her elbows as Sokka looked down at her. They were under the shade of the trees but she could still see the moonlit grass that made up the hill behind him, and the starlight that bled through the leaves of the trees made his eyes sparkle. She sighed and grinned. Sokka seemed to be short of breath, and she realized looking into his eyes, so was she.

"I thought you didn't carry weapons," he said. Tatiana sat up all the way facing him.

"I don't," she whispered as she handed him his boomerang. He looked down at it like one looks at an old friend. Sokka looked back at her and put the boomerang on the ground beside him before he kissed her again.

Tatiana melted under his embrace as his fingers played with her hair. She shivered as the wind blew around them, although Sokka's body heat kept her far from being cold. They fell backwards into the grass, Tatiana's head rested on Sokka's shoulder.

As she looked up she realized a lined of blood was running down the left corner of his mouth. She reached up to touch it and realized that it was her own. He looked down at her and smiled.

"I'm sorry," he said looking guiltily at her lip.

"What?" she said as she sat up.

"I didn't mean to hurt you," he touched the thin trickle of blood that ran from her lip.

"You didn't do it, I got it while I was with the fire benders," she said. Anger swirled in his eyes and he sat up clenching his fists at his knees. How could he have left her with the fire benders. How? He looked over at Tatiana her green eyes searching him.

"I shouldn't have left you," he said.

"Sokka, you tried to save me," she said and put her hand on his shoulder. "You would have if Zuko hadn't grabbed me." She put her hand on the side of his face.

"I'll kill him," he said.

"No. He saved me from getting worse," she said. It seemed strange to her as her own words floated in her ears. _He actually saved me…but he was also trying to use me… he still saved me from getting raped. _Sokka looked at her in disbelief.

"From what? Who did that to you?" he asked.

"I don't want to talk about it right now," she said. She was already doing enough harm by letting him know that she had been hurt. Letting him know that worse could have happened would only further his sadness.

Sokka didn't press the matter, he looked back at her. He took lifted her hand from the ground and looked at it. He looked up to see Tatiana studying him again. He grinned and kissed her again.

(All of the romance that you have been hoping for… or not. A lot longer of a chapter than usual. I hope you've liked it so far, remember, I LOVE reviews!)


	12. Beginning of the End

After a time, Tatiana and Sokka went separate ways. While Sokka went to go and try to find Katara and Aang, Tatiana raced up to what used to be her home and gathered her belongings. Most of which consisted of her money pouch, a few blankets, and a few changes of clothes.

As Tatiana picked up the dress that the old woman had sold her she sighed and shook it out. It was still the most beautiful dress that she had ever hoped to own, it suited her far better than the dress she was now wearing which had obviously been tailored for someone with Fire Nation heritage.

She looked behind her shoulder to make sure that Sokka was gone and began to change into the dress. She took the discarded dress and folded it neatly, she kept the sash and used it to wrap the dress in, tying it with a loose knot. The sleeves were slightly wrinkled, but would be good as knew when ironed.

Tatiana looked around at her small pile of belongings and grabbed her last piece of parchment. Much yellowed and warped from age she set it on a smoothed block of wood. She searched for her ink bottle and quill, the ink bottle was almost empty but would still serve her purposes this far. The quill was bent almost double and what were left of the tufts of feathers were tattered and browned.

She smoothed the top of the paper as it curled. She sucked the end of the quill and dipped it into the ink jar before she began to write.

* * *

Sokka crept through the underbrush toward the voices. A group of fire benders were sitting almost drunkenly around a fire, they would laugh every few minutes. Sokka crawled around the camp getting ready to retreat back into the shadows of the trees.

A faint murmur issued from behind the fire. Sokka crouched even lower and began to crawl under brush as he strained to see through the fire. He saw two figures sitting between five fire benders.

One fire bender was standing beside the figures poking them with a stick. Sokka shook his head to clear it and moved over too where the figures were cast into a better light. _No…_ he thought as he saw the sleeping form of Katara tied too Aang.

Aang sat awake occasionally blowing the fire bender that was poking him away. _No, _he thought as he looked away. He slowly disappeared into the trees.

* * *

Tatiana looked down from her perch in the tree to see Sokka emerging out of the forest. He looked almost ghost like as he walked around the edge of the clearing. She left her bag in the tree as she hopped down to join him.

"Any luck?" she asked. Sokka stopped to look at her.

"No… they've been captured by fire benders," as he said it his eyes took on a sad and desperate look.

"What? Where?" she asked as she stopped beside Sokka.

"About a mile and a half that way," Sokka said as he pointed between the trees.

"We have to get them out of there," she said before biting her lip and looking remorsefully back at her barn. "How many?" she finally asked.

"Twenty seven, but most of them were drunk," he said.

"The Prince's ship should be here in a few hours, if they run the deserters out then they'll be even worse off." Sokka looked at the ground thinking.

Tatiana looked into the forest. _It might work… but if it doesn't… I couldn't do it after all of this. _She put a hand on Sokka's shoulder.

"I have and idea, but if it doesn't work then we'll likely both be dead," she said. Sokka looked over at her.

"If it's to save Katara and Aang." Tatiana clapped Sokka on the back and walked into the forest.

* * *

Zuko could not believe it, he could not believe any of this. How could the brat steal a submarine out from under not only his nose, but all of his crew. And to be perfectly honest if he didn't hit something soon he would likely go mad.

"E-excuse m-me P-prince Z-Zuko b-b-but-"

"SPIT IT OUT YOU PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A FIRE BENDER!" he roared at the stuttering cadet. The cadet looked like he would have much preferred to be thrown overboard during a storm then be where he was at the moment.

"I-I the, your u-uncle s-sa-aid that h-he would like to s-see you ri-ight now," he nearly cringed away as smoke issued from Zuko's ears and nose. His mouth was closed in a tight lipped expression of inner rage.

"Fine," he said as he began to walk towards the cadet. The cadet sighed and practically slumped with relief. As Zuko became level with him he looked down his nose at the boy. "NOW GO AND HELP WITH THE COAL!" he yelled in his face making the boy's hair blow back.

Zuko smiled sinisterly as he walked out of the room. The boy turned to check that he was gone after a few seconds. The cadet cringed and pushed his hair back into place and put his helmet on. _Gee was right. I should have worn my helmet, _he thought as he ran down the opposite way that the Fire Prince had went.

* * *

Iroh sat at his usual spot in the navigation room sipping a steaming cup of Jin Seng tea. Prince Zuko burst in the room. The captain flinched as the Fire Prince walked in.

"Why Prince Zuko, harassing Cadet Lee again?" he asked. Zuko narrowed his eyes and glared at the captain who's back was turned in indifference.

"What did you want?" Zuko asked shrewdly, trying to avoid his uncle's usual fluff.

"I think that you are working the men and crew too hard." Zuko made an exasperated sound that clearly stated, 'They're not working hard enough'.

Iroh took a sip of his tea. "Really Prince Zuko, this is not the perfect strategy for bringing a band of Fire Nation deserters into reign." Zuko rolled his eyes although he listened.

Iroh poured a cup of tea for the Prince. Zuko looked at it distastefully and sat down with his arms crossed. "Really Prince Zuko you are letting your anger rule your decisions. Not a particularly wise decision if you ask me," Iroh said staring in his cup as if there were something quite intriguing at the bottom.

"FINE! WE'LL GET THERE AND SHE'LL BE GONE ALONG WITH THE SUBMARINE AND THE AVATAR! THE ONLY THING THAT COULD POSSIBLY BE STUPIDER WOULD BE ONE OF YOUR RIDICULUS SHOPPING TRIPS!" he yelled as he stood up and knocked the table over spilling his tea cup and breaking it in the process.

Iroh who was holding the tea pot and his cup watched his nephew storm out and slam the door shut with hooded eyes. He sighed as he surveyed the broken pieces of china.

"He's really not always this bad," he said more to himself then to the Captain.

* * *

Sokka shifted in his crouching position under the brush. The Fire Benders were mostly sleeping, Aang and Katara were still tied together in the middle behind the fire. They were both awake and looking around at the trees.

He barely resisted the urge to make some sign that he was there to rescue them. _Where is she? _He thought as he watched the sky begin to turn a shade lighter. A fire bender snorted and turned over as he murmured in his sleep. Sokka began to feel his legs start to cramp and shifted so he was sitting on one knee. He propped his head up with his arm perched on the other one.

A rumble answered his silent question as he snapped to alertness. The rumbling continued and roused a few of the Fire Benders that had been laying around the dying fire.

Sokka unsheathed his boomerang and hefted it in his hand as he began to hear shouting mixed in with the rumbling. Several Fire Benders sat up in alarm clutching their heads and moving a little closer to their captives. One of them poked Aang with a stick as if in a feeble attempt to make the rumbling stop.

The shouting grew louder as did the rumbling. Sokka straightened as a stream of soldiers in red armor poured out of the forest.

* * *

Tatiana swallowed as she saw the Fire Navy ship approaching swiftly until they skidded to a stop at the beach. The sand piled up around the iron sides of the ship and the waves lapped at the sides, it was almost morning. The stars were slightly dimming although the sky still stayed dark blue.

It was late, and although she was far from tired she was beginning to feel fatigue. As the Fire Benders began to ascend from rope ladders and a ramp that splashed into the shallows.

She waited for the Prince to disembark from the ship. The submarine was hidden at least a half mile away from here in the security of the trees. They wouldn't be able to find it.

As the Princes feet touched the sand he surveyed everything with cold eyes. _I shouldn't even try it… this isn't going to work, _she thought frantically before taking a deep breath and smoothing her features over.

"Prince Zuko!" she hailed him. Every Fire Bender's attention averted to her. She felt suddenly strange at being the object of so many people's attention. The Prince's golden eyes narrowed as he stared at the Earth Bender girl halfway out of the forest. She stepped onto the sand barefooted.

"If you want the Avatar you're too late," she said as she approached him. _This is wrong. Go back into the forest before he kills you! _Her instincts warned her. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins as she came closer too the Fire Prince.

"We aren't here for the Avatar. We are here for our campsite, and a submarine which happens to be property of the Fire Nation." The Prince stared down at her. Tatiana's instincts begged her to run as she felt the heat of the Fire Prince's rage from where she stood. _It's for Sokka… It's for Katara… It's for the Avatar. _She took a deep breath. _It's for the world._

"The Avatar has already been captured," she said. Tatiana made herself stare into the Prince's golden eyes. She forced back a shiver and his eyes narrowed even more.

"Captured by who?" he hissed.

"By your own Nation. Unless you want the reward money spent on wine and mead I suggest that you get your Avatar before they can turn him into the Fire Lord. It's about a fourth of a mile North," she said almost faltering under the penetrating gaze of the Fire Prince.

"Take me to the Avatar," he commanded. Tatiana lifted an eyebrow.

"Why should I help you? I only want the Avatar out of their hands. If you capture him remember, it's a long way back to the Fire Nation." she grinned and lifted her hands. The sand shot into the air blinding everyone. Tatiana saw the Prince's eyes go wide as the sand flew in front of his face.

"Their camp is on the east bank of the river, I think you know the location," she said as she made her escape back into the forest.

As soon as she had entered the safety of the forest and was at a safe distance away, she let the sand fall back to cover her footprints.

As soon as it had come the sand was back in place looking innocently undisturbed. Zuko gritted his teeth and turned on the men.

"GET TO THE CAMP!" he roared at them as he ran towards the direction of the camp.

(Remember to review!-crouchingbunny.)


	13. Final Battle

Tatiana raced through the forest, moving faster than she had ever gone. The paths were a dark green blur behind her as she raced to get too the deserter's camp before the Prince and his soldiers. Trees whirred past along with the occasional deer or another form of wild life. She gritted her teeth and tried too go if possible, faster.

The ground was trembling all around her with the force of her bending. Tatiana stood with her feet planted apart and her hands stuck together in front of her, the palms pressed together and the fingers pointed outward looking much like the head of a spear.

Sweat dripped down her temples as she fought the urge to break the connection between herself and the earth. The impact of her bending forced her arms together, she strained to pull them slowly apart.

She could see the clash between the fire bender's occurring down below. _Come on Sokka! _She urged him on with her mind. There was no mistaking that while her rest from earth bending had helped her to regain her strength, the effort of keeping the ground together while readying it to fall apart on the inside at this distance was quickly draining it.

It's not working! She thought frantically. _I'm too far away! _Tatiana put her bending on hold, freezing it.

She thought frantically. Tatiana put her bending on hold, freezing it. 

She tumbled down the hill, not daring to take any longer than was necessary to resume her bending. Tatiana raced closer to the confusion of the battle and stopped in front of the clearing.

The blue of Sokka's tunic stood out amongst all of the red and black of the fire bender's armor. He was in the middle bent double untying Aang.

A fire ball flew past her face and landed in the tree at her shoulder. She nearly shrieked and waited for Sokka to untie his friend. _Come on Sokka! Hurry! _She resumed her bending stance and the unpleasant weight of the land was once again placed upon her shaking arms.

* * *

As the rumbling stopped Sokka yanked his boomerang out of it's sheath and slashed at the ropes on Aang and Katara. _It didn't work, she couldn't do it. Just get Katara and Aang out of here and the rest of the plan can work out._

"Come on Sokka!" Katara said as a fire bender fell at her feet, his armor smoking. Sokka yanked the ropes off that had held Aang and Katara together and flung them on the ground. Aang stood up and Sokka slashed at the ropes that kept his hands behind his back.

Aang lifted his hands in front of him wincing. Katara let out a strangled cry as her ropes caught on fire. Aang started to frantically pat the flames down as Sokka ripped the ropes off of his sister's wrists.

Katara immediately stood up, "Lets get out of here!" she said as the battle continued around them. Sokka grabbed her wrist and pointed too the sky. The rumbling began again.

"Aang! Fly us over the battle into the forest or we're going to go down with the fire benders!" Sokka yelled at Aang over the clash of weapons and the smell of smoke. Aang nodded and lifted his arms.

* * *

I'm going to faint, Tatiana thought as she saw the Avatar clutching Sokka and Katara under each of his arms propelled them out of the midst of the fight and into the air. Although this was not what was going too make her faint.

The amount of skill and strength it was taking from her to hold the ground together and to now break it apart was channeling out of her and into the object of her bending. _No! Not yet! They haven't reached the safety of the forest yet! _These thoughts kept her awake as more sweat dripped to the ground and her arms shook more and more.

"THE AVATAR! GET THE AVATAR!" yelled a voice over the clash of armor and moans of pain. As the figure of the Avatar and his friends dove beneath the cover of the trees met her eyes she almost smiled with relief and pulled her arms apart. The rumbling increased to an almost deafening roar as her arms moved away from each other, the palms glittering with perspiration as they separated.

The battle ceased as the ground began to move and there was a tumultuous scramble for the trees as the rocks began to shift beneath their very feet.

She could feel her energy draining into the earth below her feet as great cracking sounds issued from underneath them. Screams were heard from the men as a large crevasse opened in the middle of the clearing.

"DO NOT LET THE AVATAR ESCAPE!" came the voice of the Prince from over the terrified screams. Rocks shot from the ground as if to dare anyone to think about getting away alive. Pounding began in her temples as giant rocks sprouted from the ground like daisies, carrying the men who had been standing where they had broke the surface too thirty feet in the air. More screams issued as fire benders scurried away from the crevasse and headed for the shelter of the trees.

NO! She screamed in her head as she thrust her arms jerkily as far away from each other as they could go.

For a moment all was still and everyone cast an anxious fleeting glance at the chaos that surrounded them. That was when the ground began to crumble with great resounding cracks at the edges of the clearing.

The ground of the clearing shuddered and sunk fast into the ground creating a large twenty foot deep cage. Boulders rolled down the walls of the hole to either land on fire benders or clash with one another.

Everyone watched in amazement and fear as they took in their surroundings. A terrifying shriek went up in the air as the ground gave two final shudders and the walls moved in closer around the fire benders.

Tatiana fell twitching to the ground as the earth beneath her gave a last long shudder and all was still.

* * *

Prince Zuko sat up and rubbed his head, he had an ear splitting head ache. He stood up and surveyed the wreckage around him. _As funny as it may seem, _he thought_, the ground has actually, literally, fallen down around my ears_. He almost laughed as he dusted himself off and eyed the twenty foot walls made of rock and dirt that had ensnared his small army of fire benders, and the deserters.

She did a good job. At least it was susceptible for her purposes. Keeping the Avatar safe, Zuko was beginning to tire of people's unwavering loyalty towards the child Avatar.

True, it would take a while to get out of the hole, but he _would _get out. And when he did, the Earth Bending brat would be sorry.

* * *

Sokka raced towards the still form of Tatiana. She lay on the ground with her eyes closed and her arms spread out around her. He skidded to a halt at her head. He knelt down and looked at her. She wasn't breathing.

"No," he said as he wiped the hair off of her forehead. "No!" he said more frantically as he closed his eyes. He opened his eyes and lifted Tatiana's still form on his shoulders and walked back into the trees towards where he had left Katara and Aang.

She's not dead, he told himself over and over in his head. _This has happened before when Katara had used up more strength then she should have when she was ten. _He walked one tracked toward the spot where he had left Katara and Aang.

he told himself over and over in his head. He walked one tracked toward the spot where he had left Katara and Aang. 

"Oh no! Sokka what happened?" Katara said as she ran over too Sokka. He laid Tatiana gently on the ground.

"She did that," he said, meaning the earth quake.

"Oh no… Aang went to go get Appa and Momo… Is she?" she asked as she stooped down by Tatiana's head.

"I don't know. She hasn't moved since I found her." Sokka kept his eyes on Tatiana's still face. Her dark brown hair was slightly tinted red in the rays of the rising sun.

"Katara Sokka hurry!" called a voice from above them. Sokka looked up to see Aang holding Appa's reins in his hands.

"Hold on, we need to get Tatiana back too!" Katara yelled back to Aang.

"Hold her up and I'll get her!" Aang yelled down at them from Appa's head. Sokka and Katara lifted her up. Aang took a deep breath and sent down a jet of air that lifted them high enough for him to grab onto one of Tatiana's hands.

After he helped Katara and Sokka up they sped off down too the other shore.

"Come on Sokka, she'll be alright," said Katara as she turned around to look at her brother reassuringly. Sokka looked back out into the forest.

"Maybe," he said. Katara looked worriedly to Aang. Aang lowered his eyes not knowing what to do.

"We'll get her to safety Sokka," he finally said. "And she'll be all right."

(OMG! Can you feel it? The last 'chapter, chapter', cliffy huh? Sorry, but review and I'll give you an imaginary cupcake. crouchingbunny.)


	14. Epilogue

"Tatiana?" A voice said above her head. She felt herself coming into consciousness. She opened her eyes to see a face swimming in front of her. "You're awake! You're alive!" Katara almost screamed.

Tatiana felt like she was potentially nailed too the bed. _Wait, in a bed. Where am I? _"Where am I?" she asked as she struggled too set up. Katara smiled excitedly.

"You're staying at an abandoned home… well we think it's abandoned. Because nobody was staying here when we came. It's at your village." Katara said. Tatiana nodded.

"Where is Sokka and the Avatar?" she asked worriedly. She didn't want to have saved them only to have them recaptured again.

"Aang is out with Momo and Appa… the flying bison," she said to Tatiana's questioning look. "And Sokka- will want to know that you're awake!" she exclaimed and jumped away from the bed and yanked open the door.

Tatiana took a moment to look at her surroundings. A white flannel bed with a pink, green and, blue quilt over it met her eyes. "Ani's house!" she gasped as she looked for Ani's dresser and mirror. Hanging on the wall was an embroidered design of forest wildlife. It was signed with Ani's Aunt's signature at the bottom right corner. It had been a birthday for Ani two years ago.

Rapid footsteps signaled the arrival of Sokka. Tatiana sat up as she saw Sokka enter the room.

"You're awake!" he said joyously as he hugged her. She smiled and hugged him back. "Are you hungry?" he asked blushing slightly. Tatiana smiled again.

"Yes!" she said as he helped her out of bed. **

* * *

**

They had stayed at Ani's house on the outskirts of the village until nightfall where they snuck into the forest. Aang had stopped by her barn and salvaged all of her things for her. Their camp was a little way into the forest at least a good few miles from her old home. A fire lit the darkness of the small clearing. Sokka, Aang, Katara and, Tatiana sat around the campfire in a friendly silence.

Aang stretched and yawned before falling back on Appa's tail and going to sleep. Katara pulled the sleeping bag over her head and began to breath more slowly, signifying sleep.

Tatiana glanced at Sokka. Since she had recovered from her most recent bending excursion she had been reluctant to talk that much about it. Talking about it would only bring up unwanted questions. She sighed and shifted closer to Sokka.

Sokka looked down at her before putting an arm around her shoulder. When he had informed Aang and Katara about how Tatiana had come to be here and everyone was up too date, he had refrained from telling them anything other than the specific details. Which did not include the kissing. Although Katara probably guessed, and Aang probably wouldn't care he still didn't want to tell them that while they had been held captive by rogue fire benders they had been off smooching in the moonlight.

Tatiana looked up at him, the green of her eyes reflecting the fire. He sighed and pulled her closer. She rested her head on his chest. Everything was so quiet and peaceful, that they both hindered from talking and just sat and soaked in the beauty of the stars.

After a while Tatiana looked at the adjoined gear on Appa's back. She couldn't stay with them. It wouldn't be fair to her or Sokka. "I can't come with you." she said meekly. For a while Tatiana thought that Sokka hadn't heard her, or was asleep.

"I know." he said solemnly. The fire crackled and a log split in the fire sending dying embers to land in the sand. _Rather symbolic, _she thought as a lone tear slipped down her cheek and landed on her skirt. **

* * *

**

Aang and Katara where putting the sleeping gear on Appa's back. Tatiana decided too go after Sokka. He had been quiet this morning. She knew what was on his mind. Tatiana walked into the forest in search of him.

She found him sitting on a log with a small pile of nuts and berries on the ground in front of his feet. He looked up and smiled as she approached. She walked over and sat beside him. Sokka clasped his hands in front of him between his knees.

After an almost awkward silence, in which Sokka coughed once and Tatiana shifted her feet she cleared her throat.

"You know, I don't expect you too stay with me. I know that you belong with the Avatar and your sister. That's what your purpose is right now." Sokka looked at her in agreement.

"I didn't expect you too come with us." he said. She looked at the trees around them.

"After the war is over, things will be more quiet. You'll be able to find me and I'll be able too find you." she covered his hand with hers. "I'll be in Omashu, looking for my family." she said.

"And I'll be with Aang and Katara." he said looking over at her. She sighed and clasped his hand in hers. His skin was only a few shades darker than hers. She looked into his eyes again. She could never forget those eyes, even if time changed each other over the next few years she would still be able too recognize him by his eyes.

Their lips met in a final kiss before they separated paths. Tatiana knew that whether it be a year or ten, she would wait for him. And he would wait for her. **

* * *

**

Saying good bye too Katara had been a tearful exchange of goodbyes.

"I hope you find your family Tatiana. We'll see each other again." Katara said as she wiped at her eyes.

"Good luck with water bending." Tatiana replied, tears swam in her own eyes as she said good bye. "Take care of Sokka. And the Avatar." she whispered. Katara wiped at her eyes again and climbed onto Appa's back. The Avatar waved at her with his pet lemur perched on his shoulder, and she waved back. Sokka was turned around all the way waving. Tatiana smiled and waved back at both of them, a pang in her heart giving away her true feelings. She would give anything to have them stay, or to go with them. _But not right now. I still have some things to do here. _She thought as another tear slipped out of her eyes and landed on the ground.

As they took off in the air as Katara settled in front with the Avatar a brief wind sent the leaves blowing around her. She kissed the palm of her hand and raised it in the air. Without conscious effort the leaves lifted into the air behind her to form a heart.

Sokka sat in Appa's saddle watching the heart hang in the air, the leaves slightly moving. _If this is the right thing, then why do I feel like that's my heart hanging in the air? _He thought as he waved harder than ever back at Tatiana.

When Appa was but a speck in the setting sun Tatiana grabbed her things and walked out of the clearing into the soothing darkness of the trees. **

* * *

**

The dark figure entered the market place, slipping between the shadows and creeping behind buildings. The street was deserted except for the lone strolling figure making it's way into the heart of the market place.

They stopped at a small building and disappeared into the shadows of the alleyway. The figure slipped around behind the edge of the building and slid a knife down the edge of a concealed door.

The door crept open and the figure stepped slowly inside closing the door behind them. A small lantern was briefly illuminated by the streak of moonlight that slipped through a black curtain attached to the door. The figure reached up and grabbed the lantern off of a dresser beside a pair of spread scissors.

A small ghostly light illuminated the room as the figure unhooked a pack from their shoulder and pulled out a folded parcel. The figure set it on the front desk and rummaged in their black shirt for something.

They pulled out a folded letter and set it on the parcel. A small jingle of money was heard as the letter was lain on the parcel. The figure turned around and dimmed the light of the lantern as they walked towards a set of shelves.

Pairs of clothes lay folded on the wooden shelves. The figure picked out two shirts and two pairs of trousers to match. The clothes disappeared into the wide folds of the figures shirt as they blew out the lamp entirely and set it on the table next to the spread scissors.

The door opened again and the figure slunk out of the shop and headed for the shelter of the shadows once again. **

* * *

**

The old crone opened her shop door in the early morning. A bag of repaired clothes hung out of her belt. She opened the door wide enough to emit a girl of early twenties into the shop behind her.

"Grandma, you really should get a different lock." the girl said smoothing back her head of auburn curls. The crone cackled as she dropped the sack of clothes too the floor and took into stock that something was _not _amiss. She scratched her head and walked too the counter.

A parcel that had not been there night before when she had closed up now occupied the usually empty space on the counter. On it was a piece of much scrunched paper. She looked at her granddaughter and then read it too herself while her granddaughter went to the back to get the scissors.

_I regret to inform you that our previous engagement did not go as planned. I was taken into retreat, much that I lament you had no knowledge of. I found on my retreat that this would much suit you for trusting one such as me. I pray that you not judge others as to what you thought I did. Continue to thrive in business, as well as in life. And do not think that it more than covers our deal, for you will be at fault. I have now more than you bargained for. And now I must say that it has truly been a pleasure having business with you._

The old crone raised an eyebrow and looked down at the folded parcel. She unfolded the brown paper and gasped.

In the parcel was a gorgeous dress made of Fire Worm silk and a scarf of Water Sheep's wool. Two of the four most sought after materials of the cloth making industry. With tears in her eyes the old crone lifted the dress out of the paper fully and exclaimed over the softness of the material. How much had this cost? From where had it come?

"Grandma! We're missing two sets of clothes!" said her granddaughter from the shelves, a charcoal stick and a piece of parchment in front of her nose. The old crone laughed and grabbed her granddaughter off of the stool she was sitting on.

"Grandma what are you doing?" she asked as the parchment and charcoal stick dropped to the floor.

"Nothing child! Do you know what I have found? A dress of Fire Worm silk and Water Sheep's wool!" her granddaughter began jumping with her grandmother with joy.

**

* * *

**Tatiana lifted the lid of the fire nation submarine lid and climbed in. Her processions where in the submarine with her. Three weeks worth of food was piled behind changes of clothes, quills, and other things. One of many water sacks was hanging out from inside of a backpack. 

Tatiana smiled as she steered the submarine out of the trees and into the water. As she entered the water with a faint splash she unrolled a map of the earth nation in front of her.

"By the looks of things," she said to herself, "I should be their by next week." Tatiana rolled the map up and set it behind her. She was headed for Omashu and nothing could stop her.

As the sun rose in the distance the water was calm and reflected the beautiful reds, oranges, purples and blues of the sunrise. _Perfect. _She thought as she headed on a steady eastern course towards the Earth Kingdom Capital.

(A/N: _It's over… I can't believe it's over! Well… probably not over as I might write a sequel. Please tell me if you would like a sequel in your review. Congratulations to me on 300 and 40 hits on this story. I'm really excited and somewhat sad about finishing this story. Yes I know I am a big baby and I need to get a life. The point is that I have no point and that I think that my fantasy world is often much more interesting than my reality. Thank you, for reading thus far. I hope this answered many of your previous questions. I hope you enjoyed reading as much as I did writing. Alecia a.k.a :crouching bunny_)


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